Abstract:
A lift-recliner chair includes a base portion including a load bearing structural support frame having a pair of upstanding rigid side panels. The chair also includes a seat portion pivotally connected to and at least partially supported by the side panels. Moreover, the chair includes a back portion pivotally connected to the seat portion and an actuator assembly for moving the seat portion with respect to the base portion and the back portion with respect to the seat portion for altering the configuration of the chair. The actuator assembly is enclosed, at least partially, by the side panels.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/577,674, filed on Jun. 21, 2006, which is the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/GB2004/004340, filed Oct. 13, 2004. This application also claims the benefit and priority of United Kingdom Application No. 0325358.0, filed Oct. 30, 2003. The entire disclosure of each of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    This invention relates to powered furniture and in particular concerns powered recliner chairs and lift-recliner chairs. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A typical recliner chair comprises a base that sits on the floor, a seat portion that supports a generally horizontal seat cushion and a back portion that may be fixed to the seat or pivotally connected to it. Recliner chairs are also usually provided with a footrest at the front of the chair which is movable between a vertical orientation when the chair is in a generally upright configuration for sitting, and a generally horizontal orientation when the chair is reconfigured for reclining. Recliner chairs are known where the seat portion moves during the reclining operation to tilt the seat slightly downwards at the rear edge and raise the front edge of the seat. Other types of recliner seats are known where the seat is fixed with respect to the base and only the back and footrest are moved when the seat is reclined. 
         [0004]    Various types of lift-recliner chairs have been developed, principally for the elderly and less physically able people, to provide assistance when moving out of the chair to a standing position. Typical lift recliner chairs are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,939, U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,777 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,935 which describe various arrangements of levers, links and motors for raising the chair from a seated to a standing position. 
         [0005]    The actuating arrangements of known recliner and lift-recliner chairs are generally mechanically complex adding significantly to the cost, weight and complexity of the chair. In addition, in known lift-recliner chairs the seat and back portion of the chair are typically lifted off of the base support structure (typically a metal frame) when the chair is raised towards the standing position creating entrapment points between the underside of the seat and the base, and in particular in between the levers and links of the actuating arrangement that are exposed between the seat and the base support structure when the chair is raised. 
         [0006]    There is a requirement to provide a simple actuating arrangement for recliner and lift-recliner chairs which requires fewer moving components than hitherto known designs, and also an actuating arrangement that is relatively simple to construct and to integrate within the structure of a recliner or lift recliner chair. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. 
         [0008]    A lift-recliner chair is disclosed that includes a base portion including a load bearing structural support frame having a pair of upstanding rigid side panels. The chair also includes a seat portion pivotally connected to and at least partially supported by the side panels. Moreover, the chair includes a back portion pivotally connected to the seat portion and an actuator assembly for moving the seat portion with respect to the base portion and the back portion with respect to the seat portion for altering the configuration of the chair. The actuator assembly is enclosed, at least partially, by the side panels. 
         [0009]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Various embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view from the front of the frame of the lift-recliner chair according to an arrangement of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is the perspective view of the frame of the chair shown  FIG. 1  viewed from the underside of the chair frame; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a chair of  FIG. 1  from above; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the frame of the chair of  FIG. 1  viewed from the side showing the rear of the chair with the frame in a partly raised configuration; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view similar to that of  FIG. 1  of the frame of the chair shown in a fully raised configuration; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a cross-section view through the base of a lift-recliner chair according to another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a lift-recliner chair according to a further embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the chair of  FIG. 7  shown with a seat portion in a raised configuration; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the rear of the chair of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the chair of  FIG. 7  shown with a back portion in a reclined configuration and a foot panel in a raised configuration; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic view of the back section of the chair of  FIGS. 7 to 10 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the underneath of the chair of  FIGS. 7 to 11 ; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a diagrammatic side view showing the working mechanisms of the chair of  FIGS. 7 to 12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]    Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  shows the structural frame of a lift-recliner chair  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The frame, and hence the chair, comprises three main sections including a base portion  12  a seat portion  14  and a back portion  16 . The base portion includes a pair of lateral side panels  18  and a rear panel  20  secured to the respective sides of the rectangular metal frame  22  on the underside of the chair. The panels  18  and  20  and the other panels of the frame of the chair shown in  FIGS. 1 to 5  are preferably of MDF type hoard material but the invention also contemplates other board material such as wood, plywood or plastic etc. as is typically used in the furniture industry for upholstered and non-upholstered furniture. 
         [0026]    The metal frame  22 , best seen in the view of  FIG. 2 , comprises a pair of lateral side members  24 , a front cross member  26  extending between the side members  24  at the front of the chair and a pair of intermediate cross members  28  and  30  which extend between the side members  24  at a point midway along the length of the side member and towards the rear of the chair respectively. The side panels  18  are secured to the members  24  of the frame with the rear panel  20  secured to the ends of the respective side panels at the rear of the chair to provide a box-type structure for supporting the other parts of the chair. 
         [0027]    The base portion  12  further comprises a front panel  32  which is pivotally mounted to the lateral side panels  18  of the base by a linkage arrangement  34  at both ends of the panel  32  adjacent to the respective side panels  18 . The linkage arrangement  34  is of a known arrangement and enables the front panel  32  to be moved from the position shown in  FIG. 1 , where it has a generally vertical orientation, to the position shown in  FIG. 2 , where it has a substantially horizontal configuration. 
         [0028]    The seat portion  14  comprises a similar box-type panel frame secured to a further metal rectangular frame  36 , as can best be seen in the view of  FIG. 3 . The metal frame  36  includes a pair of lateral side members  38  to which the lateral side panels  40  of the seat are attached, a front cross member  42  at the front of the seat portion, a rear cross member  44  at the rear of the seat and an intermediate cross member  46  approximately midway between the front member  42  and rear member  44 . The cross members extend between the side members  38 . The rectangular frame section between the cross members  44  and  46  at the rear of the seat has a slightly reduced width dimension to that of the rectangular frame section between the front cross member  36  and intermediate member  46 . For reasons that will become apparent later in this description this reduced width dimension provides a clearance between the side members  38  of the frame and the respective side panels  40  of the seat towards the rear of the chair. The clearance dimension is approximately equal to the width dimension of the metal tubes that constitute the metal frame. 
         [0029]    The seat portion  14  is nested within the base portion  12  and pivotally connected to the base portion about a pivot axis perpendicular to the lateral sides  40  of the front of the chair. The seat portion is pivotally mounted to the base portion by pivot pins (not shown) which extend from pivot plates  48  through corresponding apertures in the side panels  40  and  18  towards the front of the chair. 
         [0030]    The rear most ends of the side panels  40  are arcuate having a center of curvature defined by the pivot axis of the mounting pins so that the rear part of the seat portion can move freely with respect to the base end panel  20  when the seat portion is pivoted about its axis in use. Similarly, an end panel  50 , as seen in  FIG. 4  which extends between the side panels  40  at the rear of the chair also has a curvature which follows the curvature of the arcuate end faces  49 , that is to say it has the pivot axis of the seat portion as its center of curvature. 
         [0031]    The width dimension of the seat portion between the side panels  40  is slightly less than the width dimension between the base side panels  18  so that the seat portion nests between the side panels  18  when in the sitting configuration shown in  FIG. 1  and is extendable telescopically there from when pivoted about its pivot axis to the lift position shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0032]    The back portion of the chair frame also comprises a rectangular frame in which a pair of elongate pivot arms  52  on the lateral sides of the back portion  16 . The arms  52  are joined together by a pair of cross members  54  and  55  towards the top and the bottom part of the back portion  16 . The back portion  16  is pivotally connected to the seat portion  14  in the same way that the seat portion is pivotally connected to the base  12 , that is to say by means of a pair of pivot pins  56  secured to pivot pin plates  58  on the respective side panels  40 . The pins  56  pass through corresponding apertures in the respective panels  40  and pivot arms  52 . As can best be seen in the view of  FIG. 2  the pivot arms  52  extend beyond the pivot pins  56  into the interior region of the base portion  12 . The lower part of the pivot arms  52  pass through the gaps created between the undersize frame part towards the rear of the frame  36  and the side panels  40  on the seat. The ends of the pivot arms extend beyond the metal seat frame  36  into the region on the underside of the frame  36  and are joined together at their remote ends by a metal cross bar member  60 . 
         [0033]    The pivot arms  52  are free to rotate with respect to the seat portion, and hence the base portion, in a manner that enables the back portion to be reclined with respect to the seat portion either for altering the configuration of the chair from an upright configuration to a reclined configuration or to a raised configuration as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0034]    Three linear actuators  62 ,  64  and  66  are mounted on the metal frame  22  in the interior of the base portion  12  on the underside of the seat frame  36 . A first of the actuators  62  is mounted on the intermediate cross member  28  with the end of the actuator ram  63  fixed to the rear face of the front panel  32  adjacent to the upper edge  70  of the front panel. Extension of the actuator arm  63  moves the front panel from its generally vertical orientation as shown in  FIG. 1  to the horizontal orientation shown in  FIG. 2  to provide a footrest support. Actuator  64  is mounted to the front cross member  26  of the frame  22 . The actuator arm  65  of the actuator  64  is connected at its extendable end to the cross member  46  of the metal seat frame  36  so that extension of the actuator arm  65  moves seat portion  14  about its pivot access to tilt the seat portion between the positions show in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . The third actuator  66  is also mounted to the cross member  26  of the metal frame  22  with the extendable end of its actuator arm  67  connected to the cross member  60  extending between the pivot arms  52 . Extension of the actuator arm  67  by the actuator  66  moves the back portion  16  about its pivot access to alter the tilt angle of the back portion  1   6  with respect to the seat portion  14 . Retraction of the actuator arm  67  causes the angle between the back portion and seat portion to increase, for example when the chair is reclined or when the seat portion  14  is raised to the standing position. Extension of the actuator arm  67  reverses this operation and when fully retracted the back portion is moved to its upright position with respect to the seat portion. 
         [0035]    Actuators,  62 ,  64  and  66  are of a known type, for example Dewart type 34931 linear actuators that comprise electrical motors controlled by control electronics which may in the form of a microprocessor suitably programmed to provide coordinated control of the actuators for coordinated movement of the moveable sections of the chair, both for reclining and lifting movements. 
         [0036]    It will be understood that the configuration of the chair shown in  FIGS. 1 to 5  may be changed from the upright configuration shown in  FIG. 1  to a reclined configuration where the back portion  16  is reclined with respect to the remainder of the chair and the front panel  32  is raised to provide a foot rest with or without movement of the seat portion  14 , and that the configuration may be changed from the upright configuration to the raised configuration shown in  FIG. 5  for assisting the seated user out of the chair. 
         [0037]    If the seat portion  14  is tilted to the raised configuration shown in  FIG. 5  with the back portion  16  remaining in its upright configuration this could cause problems by dictating or even forcing an individual to move out of the chair directly from a seated position. Adjusting from a seated position to a standing position as the seat portion tilts forward may not be possible or desirable for all users. If the back portion  16  is moved to its reclined position prior to or during movement of the seat portion  16  then a user can be placed into a standing position by the chair by the time the seat portion  16  has tilted to the point at which the user leaves the chair. The chair may therefore have the facility to provide coordinated pivotal movement of the seat portion  14  and the back portion  16  in which the back portion  16  reclines as the seat portion  14  lifts. In this way an individual is moved from a seated to a standing position by the chair to avoid the possibility of them being pushed out of the chair whilst still in a seated position. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the back portion begins to tilt rearwards when the seat position is pivoted, or raised, at a point half way between its lowered and raised positions, preferably the movement of the seat and back rest portion is coordinated by control signals generated by software implemented in the microprocessor controller. 
         [0038]    A recliner chair according to another aspect of the present invention comprises an operating mechanism as shown in the drawings of  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  is a cross section view through the base portion of a recliner chair with an operating mechanism  71  housed substantially within the interior of the base of the chair. The base of the chair shown in  FIG. 6  is similar to the base of the chair described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5  in that it comprises a generally rectangular box-type structural framework including a metal base frame  72 , of a tubular metal construction, and a pair of lateral side panels  74 , preferably but not necessarily of MDF board material, bolted to the side members of the frame  72  on respective sides of the chair. 
         [0039]    A front panel  76  is pivotally mounted to the side panels  74  by respective link assemblies  78  mounted on the interior side of the side panels  74  on both sides of the chair. The link assembly  78  and front panel  76  are substantially identical to the linkage system  34  and front panel  32  of the chair described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5 . The link assembly  78  on each side of the chair includes four link elements that are pivotally connected together, including a first link element  80  which is pivoted at on end to the side panel  74  and at its other end to one end of a second link element  82 . The other end of the link element  82  is pivotally connected to a bracket  83  secured to the interior facing surface of the front panel  76  towards the top edge of the panel when configured in its vertical orientation as shown in  FIG. 6 . A third link element  84  is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the side panel  74  between the link element  80  and the front panel  76  and at the other end thereof to one end of a fourth link element  86 , the other end of which is also pivotally connected to the bracket  83  at a position spaced from the link  82  and approximately one third along the depth of the front panel  76 . The second and third link elements  82  and  84  are also pivotally connected together at the: point of their mutual intersection (not shown). 
         [0040]    The front panel  76  is deployed from its vertical orientation shown in  FIG. 6  to a generally horizontal orientation to provide a foot rest by activation of a linear actuator  88  located within the interior of the base of the chair. The linear actuator  88  may be a Dewart type 34931 linear actuator comprising an electric motor  90  at one end thereof and a piston arm  92  at the other end thereof which is extendable from a housing  94 . The end of the actuator  88  nearest the motor section  90  is pivotally connected to a bracket  96  integral with and upstanding from the base frame  72  at the front of the frame  72 . At the other end of the actuator the extendable arm  92  is pivotally connected at its end to a bracket  98  extending on one side of a square cross section metal tube member  100  to which extends along the width of the chair and is welded to respective metal bell-crank plates  102  at opposite sides of the chair, only one of which is shown in the cross-section view of  FIG. 6 . The bell-crank plates  102  are substantially parallel with the respective side panels  74  and perpendicular to the metal tube which connects the bell-crank plates  102  on either side of the chair together. Each bell-crank plate  102  is pivotally connected to its respective side parcel  74  by a pin type mounting  104  positioned towards the top edge  106  of the side panel  74 . Each bell-crank plate  102  is provided with an upstanding engagement pin  108  extending perpendicular to the plane of the plate. The pin  108  constitutes a cam engagement means and is engaged within respective first and second cam slots  114  and  112  provided in the respective cam plates  110  and  116  pivotally mounted to the respective side panels  74  towards the rear of the chair on both sides thereof. The first and second cam plates  110  and  116  are pivotally centered on a common pivot pin  118  which extends into the interior of the base portion from the side panel  74 . The cam plates  110  and  116  are generally planar and parallel with the bell-crank  102  and the side panel  74 . 
         [0041]    The first cam plate  110  constitutes a seat back cam for determining the movement path of the back portion of the chair (not show) with respect to the base. The second cam plate  116  constitutes a footrest cam for determining the movement path of the front panel  76  with respect to the side panels of the base. The seat back cam or first cam plate  110  has a shallow V-shape with the mounting pin  118  positioned at the apex of the V. The upper arm of the V, i.e., the arm shown towards the top of the drawing in  FIG. 6 , constitutes a lever for connecting the seat back cam plate to the back portion of the chair, while the cam slot  114  is formed in the lower arm of the V. The cam slot  114  includes a linear portion  120  and an arcuate portion  122  with the linear portion  120  extending towards the extremity of the V and the arcuate portion disposed towards the middle part of the V in the lower arm. The curvature of the arcuate portion  122  is such that the side of the slot facing the front of the chair in the view of  FIG. 6  is concave. 
         [0042]    The cam plate  116  is generally arcuate and is pivotally connected at one end of the arc to the mounting pin  118  and at its other end to a linear push rod link element  124 . The cam slot  112  in the cam plate  116  also comprises a linear section  126  and a longer arcuate section  128 . The arcuate section  128  of the slot extends along the majority of the arcuate length of the cam plate from the lower end of the plate that is connected to the push rod  124  along approximately 75% of the arc of the plate where the remainder of the slot is linear. 
         [0043]    The linear push rod  124  connects the link assembly  78  to the cam plate  116 . One end of the push rod  124  is pivotally connected to the first link  80  at a point substantially midway along its length, and the other end is pivotally connected to the cam plate  116 . 
         [0044]    The operating mechanism described with reference to  FIG. 6  provides for simultaneous coordinated pivotal movement of the back of the chair and the foot rest front panel  76 . In the drawing of  FIG. 6  the operating mechanism is shown configured far a chair in an upright configuration with the front panel foot rest  16  retracted to the vertical position at the front of the chair and the back portion of the chair substantially upright with respect to the base and seat. By activating the actuator  88  to retract the arm  92  into the housing  94  the bell crank  102  is caused to rotate about the pin  104 . This movement causes the cam engagement pin  108  to follow a circular path about the centre of the pin  104 , in a clockwise direction when viewed in the plane of the drawn of  FIG. 6 . This then causes the cam plate  114  to follow the pin  108  so that the cam plate rotates about the mounting pin  11   8  in a clockwise direction, as viewed in the plane of the drawing of  FIG. 6 , thereby causing the back of the chair to rotate towards a reclined position with respect to the seat. Simultaneously, the slot  112  in the cam plate  11  is constrained to follow the movement of the cam pin  108  so that the plate  116  also rotates in a clockwise direction about the mounting pin  118 . The fixed relationship between the position of the pin  118  and the end of the push rod  124  is connected to the plate  116  causes the push rod link  124  to move in general direction towards the front panel of the chair pivoting the links  80  and  84  of the link assembly also in a clockwise direction so that the front panel  76  is moved from the vertical position shown in  FIG. 6  towards its deployed horizontal position to provide a foot rest. 
         [0045]      FIGS. 7 to 13  show a lift-recliner chair  210  according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The chair  210  is similar to the chair  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 5 . 
         [0046]    The chair  210  comprises a base portion  212 , a seat portion  214  and a back portion  216 . The seat portion  214  is pivoted with respect to the base portion  212  and is movable between the lowered position shown in  FIG. 7  and the raised position shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . The back portion  216  is pivoted with respect to the seat portion  214  and is movable between the raised position shown in  FIG. 7  and the reclined position shown in  FIG. 10 , in addition a front panel  232  is pivoted with respect to the base portion  212  and can be moved from the vertical position of  FIG. 7 , and best shown in  FIG. 13 , to the horizontal position shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0047]    The base portion  212  includes a pair of lateral side panels  218  and a rear panel  220  is secured to the rear of the side panels  218 . Together with the front panel  232  the base portion  212  comprises a box-type structure. 
         [0048]    As shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13  the side panels  218  are joined at their lower edges to a metal base frame  222  comprising a pair of lateral side members  224 , a front cross member  226  extending between the side members  224  at the front of the chair and an intermediate cross member  230  which extends between the side members  224  towards the rear of the chair. 
         [0049]    The seat portion  214  comprises a pair of lateral side panels  240  joined by a central, mainly wooden, rectangular frame  236 . The frame  236  comprises a pair of side members  238  and front and rear cross members  242 ,  244  extending between the front and rear side members  238 . 
         [0050]    At the front of the seat section frame  236  the side members  238  are attached to the side panels  240  by a pair of metal reinforcement brackets  241 . At the rear of the seat section frame  236  a metal cross member  237  is attached to and extends between the panels  240  and is also attached to the frame side members  238 . A further cross member  219  is attached to and extends between the side panels  240  directly below the cross member  237  at the lower rear corners of the panels  240 . 
         [0051]    The seat portion  214  is nested within the base portion  212  and is pivotally connected to the base portion  212  about a pivot axis perpendicular to the side panels  240  by pivot pin  247 . The pins  247  extend from pivot pin mounting plates  248  positioned at the respective upper front comers of the side panels  240  and extend through the panels  240  and through the side panels  218  of the base portion  212 . 
         [0052]    The rear ends of the side panels  240  are arcuate and an end panel  250  extending between the side panels  240  is correspondingly curved. As is the case for the chair  10  of  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the center of curvature of the rear ends of the side panels  240  and the end panel  250  is determined by the pivot axis  247  of the seat portion so that the seat portion  214  can extend and retract telescopically, with minimum clearance, within the base portion  212  between the lower position shown in  FIG. 7  and the raised portion shown to  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         [0053]    As shown best in  FIG. 11 , the back portion  216  comprises a pair of elongate pivot arms  252  joined by a top cross member  254 , an intermediate cross member  257  and a bottom cross member  255 . Two outer arms  259  lie outwardly spaced from and parallel to the pivot arms  252 . The arms  259  are connected by the top cross member  254  and the intermediate cross member  257 , and terminate slightly below the bottom of the pivot arms  252 . The three cross members  254 ,  255 ,  257  aid in the attachment of webbing (not shown) in the upholstering of the chair  210 . As can be seen in  FIG. 7 and 8  the pivot arms  252  are provided with metal brackets  203  for mounting the back portion  216  on corresponding interlocking bracket parts  201   a  of L-shape bell crank members  201 . 
         [0054]    A metal cross member  260  extends between and is fixed to the L-shape members  201 . The pivot arms  252  thereby slot into the respective leg  201   a  portions of the L-shape member  201 . The other leg portions  201   b  of the L-shaped brackets  201  connect the brackets to respective pivot pins  256  extending through the panels  240 . The back portion  216  is pivotally connected to the seat portion  214 . 
         [0055]    As shown best in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , three linear actuators  262 ,  264 ,  266  are provided within the base portion for movement of the front panel  232 , the seat portion  214  and the back portion  216  respectively. 
         [0056]    The actuator  262  is mounted centrally on the rear cross member  30  with the actuator ram  263  fixed to the rear face of the front panel  232  via a bracket  235 . The actuator  263  is of the ‘push only’ type in which the piston is not attached to the screw jack (not shown). Accordingly the actuator  262  can move the panel  232  from the vertical position shown in  FIG. 7  to the horizontal position shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0057]    The return action is provided not by the actuator  262 , but by the weight of the panel  232  and by a lightly tensioned elastic cord  234  strung between bolts  234   a ,  234   b  which extend from the points of connection of the two ends of the actuator  262  to the panel  232  and the cross member  228  respectively. Because the actuator  262  is not involved in the mount movement of the panel, if an object, such as a leg or arm, becomes trapped by the panel  232  as it moves towards the vertical position then the object is held only by the weight of the panel  232  and the tension of the cord  234 . Accordingly the force applied to the object by the panel  232  is minimized and can easily be overcome compared to a system using an actuator to effect the return action. 
         [0058]    The panel  232  is connected to the base portion  212  via two hinges  233 , one at either side of the panel  232 . Each hinge  233  comprises an arcuate quarter circle plate  233   a  connected at one of its circumferential ends to the panel  232  and at its other circumferential end to a linear radially extending plate  233   b . The linear plate  233   b  is pivotally connected to the base side panels of the chair by the pivot pins  247  extending from the base portion side panels  218  through the linear plates and through the side panels  240  of the seat section to the mounting plates  248 . 
         [0059]    The main pivot point provided by pivot pins  247  thereby defines the pivot axis for both the panel  232  and the seat portion  214 . This arrangement also means that the hinges  233  slide between the side panels  240  of the seat portion  214  and the side panels  218  of the base portion  212  when extended and retracted. 
         [0060]    The positioning of the combined main pivot points of the foot rest  232  and the seat portion provided by the pivot pins  247  approximately at the upper front corners of the base portion  212  and seat portion  214 , coincides with the natural position of the seated user&#39;s knee joint which brings ergonomic advantages. The same advantage could, of course, be achieved if the pivot points for the front panel and the seat portion were slightly spaced apart but still in the same general area so that they are roughly coincident with the seated user&#39;s knee joint. 
         [0061]    Because the panel  232  is connected to the base portion  212  via hinges  233  the panel  232  can undergo only a rotation movement with no radial extension. As a result the position of the panel  232  may not extend away from the chair sufficiently to suit all users. Accordingly, in other embodiments (not shown) the chair may have some means of increasing the distance the panel extends away from the seat portion  214 . For example, the panel  232  or a part thereof may be telescopic so that it moves to a position further away from the seat portion  214  during or following the pivoting movement. Alternatively a ‘flipper board’ arrangement could be used, in which a further panel is pivotally attached to the main foot panel  232  and can be flipped over from a position in which it rests on the panel  232  to a position in which it is co-extensive with the panel  232  to increase the length of the panel. 
         [0062]    The actuator  264  is mounted centrally on the front cross member  226 . The actuator ram  265  is fixed centrally to a cross member  237  which spans between and is attached to the side panels  240  and supports the rear of the seat section frame  236 . The front of the seat section frame  236  is carried on a pair of brackets  241  attached to the frame members  238  and to the inner races of the side panels  240 . 
         [0063]    As discussed above, the side panels  240  are pivotally connected to the main pivot points so that the seat portion  214  pivots about the pivot points under the control of the actuator  264  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         [0064]    The actuator  266  is mounted centrally on a cross member  219  which extends between and is fixed to the side panels  240  of the seat portion. The actuator ram  267  of actuator  266  is connected centrally to the cross member  260  at a point offset from the pivot axis  256  to provide a bell crank type lever. The bell crank arrangement means that the back portion  216  can be lowered to the position shown in  FIG. 10  by retracting the ram  267 , or raised to the position shown in  FIG. 7  by extending the ram  267 . The back portion  216  can be moved at the same time as movement of the seat portion  214  and/or the footrest panel  232  or independently thereof as previously described with reference to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 to 5 . 
         [0065]    Although aspects of the invention have been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited to those precise embodiments and that various changes and modifications may be effected without further inventive skill and effort. For example, the lift recliner chair described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5  may be modified to provide a reclining function only in the sense that the base portion of the chair is provided with only two actuators, one for reclining the back portion of the chair with respect to the base and a fixed seat, and another for deploying the front panel from its vertical position to its horizontal position to provide a foot rest for the chair. It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made to the chairs described herein with any of the integers described in one embodiment being interchangeable with integers in another embodiment, and that the embodiments maybe modified by deletion or addition of any of the integers described with reference to any of the embodiments described herein.