Reclining chair of the multiple position lounger type

FRENCH REPUBLIC

PATENT

MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY

- PV ri 944.578 service International classification:

INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY _

Multi-position lounge chair-style rest chair. Mr. Anton LORENZ residing in the United States of America.

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Requested August 13, 1963, at 14^h 28^m, in Paris.

Issued by order of May 25, 1964.

(Official Bulletin of Industrial Property, ri 27 of 1964.) (Patent application filed in the United States of America on August 14, 1962, under No. 216.857, in the name of Mr. Peter S. Fletcher.)

The present invention relates generally to rest chairs and is aimed in particular at such a chair of the multi-position lounge chair type.

The latest addition to multi-position rest chairs includes a support, a body support means comprising a seat and a backrest arranged to be mounted on the support so as to be tilted down and back respectively and a mounting linkage ensuring the mounting of the seat and the back so as to enable them to pass from a straight sitting position to a semi-reclining sitting position during a first phase of movement, practically without modification of the angular relation between the seat and the backrest, then to pass again from the semi-reclining sitting position to a completely reclining position during a second phase of movement, which is accompanied by an increase in l relative inclination between the seat and the backrest. The chair also has a leg support mounted to pass from an erasing position in which it is located under the front end of the seat to a high position in which it is located in front of the seat during the first phase of movement, said leg support remaining in the upper leg support position throughout the second phase of movement. As can be seen, the semi-reclined sitting position is generally suitable for television shows, sewing, reading and similar occupations, while the fully reclined position is indicated for total relaxation.

In addition to obtaining the desired seated or reclining positions, an important consideration in the design of such rest seats is the possibility of accurately determining the trajectories of movement of the body support means during the first and second phases of movement. in order to ensure the desired balance of the chair during said phases of movement. The conditions governing obtaining a good balance of the chair are quite complex if one takes into account the fact that a chair of this kind essentially presents two independent balance problems respectively linked to the first and to the second phase of movement. In the first phase of movement, it is necessary to balance the seat and the backrest (which move backwards to take the semi-inclined sitting position without modifying their angular relationship) with the leg support passing, forward and upward, from the retract position to the upper leg support position; during the second phase of movement, it is necessary to balance the seat and the backrest (which describe a relative movement increasing their relative inclination) with the leg support, located in the high leg support position in front of the seat and which substantially accompanies the movement of this seat. This problem is made even more complicated by the fact that the effective center of gravity of the chair occupant moves as a result of the movement described by the chair during the first and second phases of movement.

In general, one of the aims of the present invention is to provide a rest chair of the multi-position lounge chair type which makes it possible to achieve one or more of the abovementioned objectives. More particularly, the object of the invention is to propose a mounting and coordination linkage for a multi-position rest seat of the kind capable of determining precise trajectories of movement of the body support means during each of the first and second phases. of movement, these trajectories being independent of each other and being able to be chosen easily and precisely so

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Price of the booklet: 2 francs [1.365.902] - to give the chair the desired positions and to keep it in a suitable balance during each of the movement phases.

According to the present invention, the means for mounting the seat and the backrest comprises a first constrained linkage, intervening during the first phase of movement of the chair, and a second constrained linkage, independent and coordinated, intervening during the second phase of movement. The first constrained linkage comprises as movable rods an intermediate coordination rod, a front guide rod and a rear guide rod. The front and rear guide rods are articulated, on the intermediate coordination rod, at articulated connection points, respectively located at the front and at the rear and, on the support, on elements of articulation mounts respectively. located at the front and rear. The second constrained linkage comprises a means ensuring an articulated backrest connection of the body support means on the seat at a seat articulation and a means ensuring the articulated connection of the backrest on the intermediate coordination rod at a articulation backrest so that the seat and the backrest constituting two movable rods of the second constrained linkage. Connection rods are interposed between the backrest, the seat and the coordination rod to complete a control rod with six bars, intervening during the second phase of movement to move the seat up and to tilt it down, depending on the backward tilt movement. It is planned to stop the movement of the movable rods of the first constrained rod at the end of the first phase of movement so that the rod. intermediate coordination constitutes a fixed rod of the control rod with six bars and forms in fact a fixed frame of articulation of the backrest. Advantageously, the control rod with six bars makes it possible to exert a significant action on the downward inclination of the seat as a function of the rearward inclination of the backrest as well as on the equibbre of the seat during the second phase of movement, this action being practically independent of that exerted on the body support means by the first constrained linkage during the first phase of movement.

The above brief description will be better understood, as well as other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention, on reading the detailed description which will now be given of certain presently preferred embodiments, but which have not no limiting character, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view, partially broken away, of a multi-position lounge chair type rest seat having features according to the present invention, shown in a straight seated position;

Figure 2 is a side view similar to Figure 1, but showing the chair in semi-inelined sitting position;

Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figure 1, but showing the chair in the fully reclined position, at the end of the second phase of movement;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view in profile of the assembly and coordination linkage which, as shown, has undergone a modification intended to incorporate therein a means of positive determination of the order of displacements, the linkage being represented in the position corresponding to the normal sitting position of the chair;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the linkage in the position corresponding to the semi-inclined sitting position of the chair;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the linkage in a position corresponding to that of total tilt of the chair.

We will now consider the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 to 3 in which we see a rest chair of the multi-position lounge chair type, designated by the reference 10, which comprises a support 12 comprising opposite side walls 14 and 16, interconnected by a plurality of crosspieces 18 and resting on feet 20. On the support 12 is mounted a means for supporting the body comprising a seat 22 and a backrest 24, arranged to tilt respectively downwards and backwards. As will be described later, the seat 22 and the backrest 24 of the body support means 22-24 can move from the upright sitting position shown in Figure 1 to a semi-reclining sitting position shown in Figure 2, during a first phase of movement, the relative inclination between the seat 22 and the backrest 24 being practically unchanged, then move from the semi-reclined sitting position shown in Figure 2 to a fully reclined position shown in Figure 3, during a second phase of movement, during which the relative inclination between the seat 22 and the backrest 24 increases.

Under the front end of the seat 22 is arranged a leg support 26, normally occupying an erasing position when the body support means 22-24 is in the normal seated position. The leg support 26 is arranged to assume a high leg support position during the first phase of movement, as revealed by the comparative examination of FIGS. 1 and 2, under the action of a support mounting linkage 28 for legs acting in response to the rearward movement of the seat 22 relative to the support 12. The linkage 28 for mounting the leg support maintains this support 26 in the high leg support position throughout the second phase, as revealed by the comparative examination of FIGS. 2 and 3.

According to the present invention, the seat 22 and the backrest 24 arranged on the report 12 to describe respective phases of movement along trajectories, independent but coordinated, in order to give the chair its various positions, under the action of a linkage assembly and coordination, designated by the general reference 30, which comprises a first constrained linkage intervening during the first phase of movement and a second constrained linkage, independent and coordinated, intervening during the second phase of movement. More particularly, the assembly and coordination linkage 30 comprises an elbow support 32 which can be screwed or otherwise fixed on the opposite side wall (namely the wall 16) of the support 12, it being understood that linkages identical are provided on each side of the chair to ensure the mounting of the movable members 22, 24 and 26 of this chair. From the front to the rear of the chair extends an intermediate coordination rod 34, articulated on the bent support 32 by a front guide rod 36, itself articulated on the bent support 32 on a front articulation mount 38 and on the intermediate coordination rod 34 by a front articulated connection 40, and by a rear guide rod 42, articulated on the bent support 32, by a rear articulation mount 44 and, on the intermediate coordination rod 34, by a rear articulated connection 46, spaced towards the rear of the front articulated connection 40. As will be seen more clearly below, the seat 22 remains fixed relative to the intermediate coordination rod 34 during the first phase of movement. The seat 22 is guided relative to the support 12, during the first phase of movement, by a first linkage constrained to four rods comprising as movable rods the intermediate coordination rod 34 as well as the seat and the backrest which are temporarily joined thereto, and that the front 36 and rear 42 guide rods and, as a fixed rod, the section of the bent support 32 situated between the front 38 and rear 44 articulation mounts.

The assembly and coordination linkage 30 also comprises an angled seat support 48, fixed to the seat 22 and articulated on the backrest 24 by a seat pin 50, itself having an articulated connection with a back support— [1.365. 902] sier 52, attached to the backrest 24 from which it is suspended. The backrest support 52, which can be considered for all practical purposes as integral with the backrest 24 or situated in its extension, ensures the articulated mounting of the backrest 24 on the intermediate coordination rod 34 at the level of a backrest pin 54, so that the seat 22 and the backrest 24 constitute two movable rods of a second constrained linkage which intervenes during the second phase of movement.

The second constrained linkage of the assembly and coordination linkage 30 also comprises rods, connecting the backrest 24 and the seat 22 to one another, one of which is articulated on the coordination linkage 34 and completes a control linkage with six bars intervening during the second phase of movement to move the seat 22 up and tilt it down as a function of the tilting movement of the backrest 24 backwards. More particularly, the connecting rods comprise a bent connecting lever 56, articulated by its middle part on a lever journal 58, carried by the intermediate connecting rod 34, and whose arm 56a is coupled by means of a connecting rod 60 to the backrest support 52 and to the backrest 24. More particularly still, the arm 56a has an articulated connection 62 with the front end of the connecting rod 60, while the rear end of this connecting rod 60 has an articulated connection 64 on the lower end of the backrest support 52, at a spaced point located below the back pin 54. The arm 565 of the angled connection lever 56 is coupled to the seat support 48 by a new connection rod 66, presenting, at the base, an articulated connection 68 with the opposite end of the arm 566 and, at the top, a connection articulated 70 with the seat support 48, this articulated connection being provided by a control journal carried by the seat 22. It will be seen that this arrangement constitutes a linkage with six bars which determines the inclination of the seat 22 downwards as a function of the inclination of the backrest 24 towards the rear. Thanks to this arrangement of control rods with six bars, it is possible to act to a large extent on the balance of the seat and on the positions taken by the body support means during the entire second phase of movement. The control rod with six bars comprises as a fixed part of the intermediate coordination rod 34 located between the lever pin 58 and the back pin 54 and, as movable rods, the seat 22, the back 24, the rod connection 60, the angled connection lever 56 and the connection rod 66.

We make sure to stop the movement of the movable rods of the first constrained linkage at the end of the first phase of movement so that the intermediate coordination rod 34 is temporarily secured to the support 12 and constitutes the fixed rod of the linkage with six control bars for the seat and in fact constitutes a fixed frame for the articulation of the backrest 24 on the backrest journal 54. According to this embodiment given by way of example, the bent support 32 carries a stop pin 72 located behind the rear guide rod 42, in the desired position to engage in a notch 42a formed in this rod when the semi-reclined sitting position shown in Figure 2 is reached.

An additional stop 104 is provided on the back support 52 to engage in a notch 34a formed in the intermediate coordination rod 34 during any ia first phase of movement, as revealed by the comparative examination of FIGS. 1 and 2.

We will now consider the details of the linkage 28 for mounting and maneuvering the leg support which comprises, as can be seen, a first set of two rods 74 and 76, having a median articulated connection 78 and a second set of two rods 80 and 82 having a median articulated connection 84. The rod 82 crosses the rod 74, on which it has at 86 an articulated coordination connection. The rods 74 and 80 of the sets of two respective rods are articulated on the front end of the seat support 48 by articulated connections 88 and 90 respectively and the rods 76 and 82 have articulated connections 92 and 94 on the fixed elbow support 96 to the leg support 26. We see that the arrangement of rods described constitutes a double linkage with four bars of the zigzag type.

The operation of the linkage for the leg support is ensured by the presence of a control rod 98, articulated, on the elbow support 32, by a mounting pin 100 and, on the leg support rods 80 and 82, coaxially with the articulated connection 84. The control rod 98 is suspended from the mounting pin 100 when the leg support 26 is in the erasing position (FIG. 1) and opposes the upward movement of the seat 22 during the first phase of movement and the operation of the second constrained linkage. The leg support linkage further includes a stop 102, carried by the rod 74, which meets the rod 82 when the leg support 26 is removed (FIG. 1) to define the limit position for the recoil of the linkage 28 and the position corresponding leg support clearing 26. A stop 103 is mounted on the bent support 34 in the desired position to meet the arm 565 of the two-arm lever 56 to define the position of total inclination of the armchair, shown in FIG. 3.

To facilitate full understanding of the invention, we will now describe in detail a series of typical operations:

When the occupant of the armchair is seated in the armchair in the upright seated position shown in FIG. 1 and pushes the backrest 24 backwards, the rod 98 for controlling the linkage 28 for mounting the leg support tends to exert a downward thrust while the body support means leaves the normal sitting position shown in FIG. 1, to pass to the semi-inclined sitting position shown in FIG. 2. This downward thrust does not hinder the rearward movement of the pins 88 and 90 for suspending the linkage 28 for supporting the legs carried by the seat 22, but tends to oppose the upward movement of said seat 22, and , consequently, to the operation of the second displacement linkage during the first phase of movement. Thus, the seat 22 and the backrest 24 move rearward under the control of the first constrained linkage which comprises, as movable rods, the intermediate coordination rod 34, the front guide rod 36 and the rear guide rod 42, and as a rod fixes the section of the bent support 32 situated between the front articulation mounts 38 and rear 44. During this first phase of movement, there is no relative movement between the seat 22 and the intermediate coordination rod 34 and practically no relative movement between the seat 22 and the backrest 24, the latter moving backwards substantially in one piece with the seat 22. The first phase of movement ends when the stop 72 carried by the angled support 32 engages in the notch 42a of the rear guide rod 42, the body support means 22-24 occupying the semi-inclined sitting position and the leg support 26 the high leg support position, at the front of the seat 22. Once the rear guide rod 42 is immobilized relative to the bent support 32, the front guide rod 36, the rear guide rod 42 and the intermediate coordination rod 34 are in fact incorporated into the support, so that the intermediate coordination 34 constitutes the fixed rod of the second constrained linkage which intervenes during the second phase of movement.

During a new pressure exerted on the backrest 24, the second phase of movement begins, the seat 22 tilting downwards as a function of the backward tilting movement of the backrest 24, under the action of the six-bar linkage which comprises as a fixed link part of the intermediate coordination link 34 located between the lever pin 58 and the back pin 54 and, as movable rods, the seat 22, the file 24, the connecting rod 60, the connection lever 56 and the connection rod 66. This second phase ends because any of the second movement rods is materially stopped or because the backward tilting movement of the backrest 24 is finds himself arrested.

It should be noted that the rod 98 for controlling the leg support occupies, in the semi-inclined sitting position shown in FIG. 2, a more or less horizontal position such that it ceases to resist the upward movement of the seat and does not tend therefore more to keep the second constrained linkage inactive. On the contrary, this rod 98 now rocks upwards at the same time as the seat to maintain the leg support in the high leg support position during the second phase of the movement, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Although the linkage incorporated in the armchair according to the invention ensures by its very nature movements in a satisfactory order, it may be desirable to provide a means suitable for positively determining this order of movements and for constituting a safety device ensuring intervention in the desired order of the first and second constrained linkages, this in particular for demonstrations during which the seat is not occupied. Consequently, FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate a modification made to the linkage according to the invention to incorporate therein a means positively determining the order of movements, designated by the general reference 105. We have applied, in FIGS. 4 to 6, to the various elements of the linkages, the same reference numbers as in FIGS. 1 to 3 and we will therefore dispense, for the sake of brevity, with describing again the parts which surround the means. 105 positively determining the order of movements. This means 105 comprises a distribution plate 106 articulated by the pin 107 on the seat support 48 and coupled by an operating rod 108 to the operating rod 80 for the leg support. More particularly, the upper end of the operating rod 108 has at 110 an articulated connection on the rod 80 of the leg support at a point spaced below the suspension journal 90, while its lower end is articulated at 112 on the distribution plate 106. When the rod of the leg support 80 pivots clockwise around the suspension pin 90, the rod 108 itself rotates the distribution plate 106. The distribution arrangement is completed by a notch 114 in the form of a double arc formed in the distribution plate and which receives a stud 116 fixed at the front end opposite the intermediate coordination rod [1.365.902] 34. The double arc slot 114 comprises a first section 114a whose shape is determined by the movement trajectory taken by the seat 24 during the first movement phase and a second section 1146 whose shape is determined by the trajectory taken by the seat 22 during the second phase of movement. The two sections meet at a point 114e. In the normal sitting position of the seat, the stud 116 bears on the front end of the slot section 114a, opposite point 114c. In response to the rearward movement described by the intermediate coordination rod 34 during the first phase of movement, the stud 116 reaches the point 114c of connection of the sections 114a and 1146, so that the seat 22 is free to move. upwards relative to the intermediate coordination rod 34 during the second phase of movement. The pin 116 meets the lower end of the section 1146 at the end of the second phase of movement and positively determines (see fig. 6) the limit of movement of the chair and the position of total tilt (fig. 3). The foregoing description is given by way of example only, and various modifications, alterations and substitution may be provided and, in certain cases, certain characteristics of the invention may be used separately.