Abstract:
The present invention is related to a chair leg rest assembly or kit. The assembly or kit may include, among other things, a leg rest and a frame for extension and retraction of the leg rest. In addition, the invention may include a roller assembly connected to the leg rest for covering the frame. The invention is also related to a combination of the chair leg rest assembly or kit with a chair. In such a combination, the invention also includes a back which hingedly rotates independently from a seat.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the field of chairs and more particularly to a leg rest assembly for attachment to a chair. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Leg rests are well known in chair-related arts as it is common for an individual using a chair to desire to prop his or her feet in a raised position for comfort and relaxation purposes. By raising a user&#39;s legs, he or she can effectively redistribute weight while seated, thereby relieving stress, and often times pain, at various locations of his or her body. Raising one&#39;s legs is one method of relieving lower back pain. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     There is now provided and described hereinafter a leg rest assembly for attachment to a chair. In one embodiment a leg rest assembly includes a leg rest and a linkage mechanism for extension and retraction of the leg rest. A roller assembly is connected to the leg rest, and operates to cover the linkage mechanism. In another embodiment, the invention is directed to a leg rest assembly in combination with a chair. In a further embodiment, the invention is directed to a combination of a leg rest assembly with a chair, wherein the chair includes a back that rotates independently from a seat. 
     The present invention is designed to hide the linkage mechanism of the leg rest. As such, the invention protects a user from injury and prevents loose fabric, upholstery, and/or other objects from getting caught in the linkage mechanism. The present invention also supports a user&#39;s legs in an ergonomically desirable position. 
     Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a view of a chair with a leg rest assembly attached thereto; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a chair with a leg rest assembly attached thereto; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged, partial side view of a leg rest assembly, wherein a portion of a leg rest is cut out to expose a cross-section of components of a roller assembly and wherein the leg rest assembly is in an extended position; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view similar to  FIG. 3 , but with the leg rest assembly in a retracted position; 
         FIG. 5  is a view from above of a chair partially in ghost view to illustrate components of both a leg rest assembly and a reclining mechanism; and 
         FIG. 6  is a partially exploded view of a reclining mechanism for independently reclining a back. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In a first embodiment, the invention includes a leg rest kit or assembly  10  for attachment to a chair  5 . As recognized by those of skill in the art, chair  5  is an office-type chair, or task chair. It should be understood that the invention could be used on other chairs to achieve a similar effect. The chair  5  is typically equipped with a pedestal base  12  supported by rollers  14 . The pedestal base supports a gas lift that supports a tilt mechanism  16 , which in turn supports a chair seat  18  and back  20 . The chair  5  may also be provided with a pair of arm rests  21 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 5 , leg rest assembly  10  includes a mounting bracket  22 . As shown, bracket  22  mounts to the underside of the seat  18  using one or more of the horizontally disposed mounting faces  24 . Bracket  22  protrudes downwardly from the underside of seat  18  as shown, forming a support channel  26 . Bracket  22  can be formed from any of a variety of materials, such as bent steel. 
     The bottom of channel  26  provides one mounting surface for a leg rest extension linkage, shown generally as  30  in the figures. As seen in  FIG. 5 , other faces of bracket  22  may also provide mounting surfaces for a leg rest extension linkage  30 . As known to those of skill in the art, linkage  30  includes pivotally coupled links, labeled as  31 A- 31 D,  34 , and  36  and best seen in  FIGS. 2-5 . Motion of linkage  30  is controlled by four bar linkages pivotally coupled together, such as links  31 A-D. Further, although only one side of linkage  30  is shown and described below, it should be understood that linkage  30  includes both left and right linkages (one on each side). Links  31 C and  31 D are pivotally coupled to the fixed link  34 , which in turn is mounted to support channel  26 , as seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  5 . Link  31 D is pivotally coupled to link  31 B at pivot  32 C, and is pivotally coupled to link  31 A at pivot  32 A. As best seen in  FIG. 5 , link  31 C is pivotally supported on the upper end by link  34  at pivot point  32 D. The lower end of link  31 C is pivotally coupled to link  31 B at pivot  32 B. An extension spring  37  couples links  31 C and  31 D and operates to assist in extending or opening linkage  30 . As stated above, link  31 A is pivotally coupled on one end to link  31 D at pivot point  32 A. The other end of link  31 A is pivotally coupled to an ottoman bracket  36 . Link  31 B is pivotally coupled at one end to link  31 D at pivot  32 C. The other end of link  31 B is pivotally coupled to ottoman bracket  36 . As best seen in  FIG. 3 , link  31 B is also pivotally coupled to link  31 C at pivot  32 B. Link  31 B is also provided a stop  38  that extends outwardly and abuts link  31 C when the linkage  30  is in a fully extended position. Links  31 B support a mid-ottoman  35 . 
     As stated above, linkage  30  is coupled on its outward end to a bracket  36 . Bracket  36  is, in turn, rigidly coupled to a leg rest  40 . More specifically, bracket  36  is coupled to a support plate  42  that forms a part of leg rest  40 . Support plate  42  is generally shaped to correspond to the desired overall shape of the leg rest  40 . Plate  42  provides support and an attachment platform for a roller mechanism  44 . Roller mechanism  44  includes left and right mounting arms  43  that are rigidly coupled to plate  42 . A spring-loaded roller  46  extends between the mounting arms  43 . As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a flexible material  48  has one end secured to roller  46 , with the majority of the remainder wound around roller  46  when the extension linkage  30  is in the closed position ( FIG. 4 ). A housing cover  50  surrounds roller  44  and provides a protective cavity for both the roller  44  and the material  48 . Cover  50  is preferably provided with a smooth guide  52  to protect the material  48  as it enters and exits the cavity. With continued reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the opening  54  through which material  48  passes is seen. The opening  54  can be formed directly in plate  42 , or can be formed on one side by the terminal end of plate  42 , and on the other side by guide  52 . The leg rest  40  also includes a surrounding cushioning material  56 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 5 , an opposite terminal end of material  48  is coupled to the chair seat, and preferably to bracket  22 . In use, roller mechanism  44  operates to retract and store material  48  when the linkage  30  is in the closed position, as seen in  FIG. 4 . As the linkage  30  extends, the roller mechanism allows the material  48  to unwind, generally providing a covering surface above linkage  30 . The tension in roller mechanism  44  is set to ensure material  48  remains taut in the extended position. When the leg rest  40  is returned to the closed position, roller mechanism  44  retracts and again stores the material  48 . While not shown, it should be understood that any of a number of known release mechanisms can be used to allow extension linkage  30  to open. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the chair may include additional components that hingedly couple the back  20  to the seat  18 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the chair may include a hinge plate  90 . The hinge plate includes a seat-mounted plate  92  and a back-mounted plate  94 . The seat-mounted plate  92  and back-mounted plate  94  are pivotally connected. In addition, the chair may include a reclining mechanism to control the degree at which the back  20  reclines in relation to the seat  18 . The recline mechanism includes a top support plate  68  for coupling the recline mechanism to the back  20 . As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the top support plate  68  may be coupled to a frame  62  of the back  20 . As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , fixed to an outside surface of the top support plate  68  is a top gear  80 . Furthermore attached to the top gear  80  is a c-shaped plate  82 . As can best be seen in  FIG. 6 , a portion of the top gear  80  is coupled between the top support plate  68  and the c-shaped plate  82 . In addition, although hidden from view in  FIG. 6 , an alternative portion of the top gear  80  extends between an outside plate  76  and an inside plate  70 . 
     The outside plate  76  includes a rounded extension  78 . As can be seen best in  FIG. 6 , the rounded extension  78  creates two recesses  77 A and  77 B in the outside plate  76 , the function of which will be further explained below. The outside plate  76  is coupled to the top gear  80 . The outside plate  76  is also fixed to the seat  18  of the chair  5 . For example, as can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the outside plate  76  may be fixed to a frame  64  of the seat  18 . Extending through the outside plate  76  is a rotatable shaft  72 . The recline assembly also includes an inside plate  70  coupled near parallel to the outside plate  76  and in between the seat and the outside plate  76 . As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , a cavity is created between the outside plate  76  and inside plate  70 . The rotatable shaft  72  extends through the outside plate  76  and into the cavity. Although hidden from view, coupled to the rotatable shaft  72 , in between the outside plate  76  and inside plate  70 , are one or more teeth. The one or more teeth are operably coupled to the rotatable shaft  72  such that when the shaft  72  is rotated, the one or more teeth change positions in between the outside plate  76  and inside plate  70 . 
     As previously mentioned the outside plate  76  is rotatably coupled to at least the top gear  80 . For example, a bolt may extend through the rounded extension  78  and serve as an axis on which the top gear  80  rotates. Furthermore, the outside plate  76  is coupled to the top gear  80  such that the outside plate  76  and c-shaped plate  82  are oriented in the same plane, and the rounded extension  78  fits in the middle of the c-shaped plate  82 . Accordingly, when the top gear  80  rotates on an axis, ends of the c-shaped plate  82  function to stop rotation when the ends come into contact with recesses  77 A and  77 B of the outside plate  76 . The previously described one or more teeth function to engage the top gear to prevent the top gear from rotating. When the teeth change position, such as by rotation of the shaft  72 , the top gear  80  and teeth may become disengaged, and the top gear  80  may rotate. Rotation of the top gear  80  in turn rotates both the top support plate  68 , connected to the back frame  62 , and the c-shaped plate  82 . As previously explained, the c-shaped plate  82  limits the range of rotation where the ends of the c-shaped plate  82  come into contact with recesses  77 A and  77 B of the outside plate  76 . 
     From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure. 
     It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. 
     Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.