Reclining seating unit with stationary back

1 . A reclining seating unit, comprising:

an armless base;

a stationary backrest attached to the base;

a seat;

a footrest;

a reclining backrest;

a reclining mechanism attached to the base, the seat, the footrest and the reclining backrest, the reclining mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links configured and arranged to move the seating unit between (a) an upright position, in which the reclining backrest is substantially vertical and just forward of the stationary backrest, the seat is substantially horizontal and positioned above the base and just forward of the reclining backrest, and the footrest is generally vertically disposed adjacent and below a front portion of the seat, (b) a TV position, in which the seat is moved forwardly relative to the base and takes a first pitch angle relative to horizontal, and the footrest is generally horizontally disposed and positioned in front of the seat, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the seat is moved farther forward relative to the base, the reclining backrest takes a backrest angle relative to horizontal;

wherein in the upright position, the reclining mechanism is between about 26 and 30 inches in length, and between about 6.5 and 8 inches in height.

2 . The reclining seating unit defined in claim 1 , wherein the footrest does not move relative to the seat as the seating unit moves between the TV and fully reclined positions.

3 . The reclining seating unit defined in claim 1 , wherein the reclining backrest is attached to the reclining mechanism.

4 . The reclining seating unit defined in claim 3 , wherein the reclining backrest and the seat define a first angle in the upright and TV positions and a second, different angle in the fully reclined position.

5 . The reclining mechanism defined in claim 1 , wherein the reclining mechanism includes a foundation plate fixed to the base and a carrier link, wherein the carrier link remains stationary relative to the foundation plate in the upright and TV positions, but moves forwardly relative to the foundation plate as the seating unit moves from the TV position to the fully reclined position.

6 . The reclining seating unit defined in claim 1 , wherein the reclining mechanism includes a linear actuator to drive the seating unit between the upright, TV and fully reclined positions.

7 . The reclining seating unit defined in claim 1 , wherein in the fully reclined position the seat takes a second pitch angle that is steeper than the first pitch angle.

8 . The reclining seating unit defined in claim 1 , wherein the reclining mechanism includes an upper footrest extension link and a footrest bracket, wherein the footrest bracket is fixed to the footrest, and wherein the footrest bracket is directly pivotally attached to the upper footrest extension link at a front end of the upper footrest extension link, and wherein a rear end of the upper footrest extension link is positioned adjacent a rear end of the seat.

9 . The reclining seating unit defined in claim 6 , wherein the reclining mechanism includes (a) a drive link that is pivotally attached to a movable carriage of the linear actuator, an actuation transition link that is pivotally attached to the drive link and to the seat, and a coupling link that is pivotally attached to the actuation transition link, wherein the drive link includes an arcuate slot and the coupling link includes a pin that is received in the arcuate slot.

10 . A reclining seating unit, comprising:

a base;

a stationary backrest attached to the base;

a seat;

a footrest;

a reclining backrest;

a reclining mechanism attached to the base, the seat, the footrest and the reclining backrest, the reclining mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links configured and arranged to move the seating unit between (a) an upright position, in which the reclining backrest is substantially vertical and just forward of the stationary backrest, the seat is substantially horizontal and positioned above the base and just forward of the reclining backrest, and the footrest is generally vertically disposed adjacent and below a front portion of the seat, (b) a TV position, in which the seat is moved forwardly relative to the base and takes a first pitch angle relative to horizontal, and the footrest is generally horizontally disposed and positioned in front of the seat, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the seat is moved farther forward relative to the base, the reclining backrest takes a backrest angle relative to horizontal; and

a linear actuator that includes a rail and a carriage movable on the rail, the linear actuator attached to the reclining mechanism and configured to move the seating unit between the upright, TV and fully reclined positions;

wherein the reclining mechanism includes an upper footrest extension link and a footrest bracket, wherein the footrest bracket is fixed to the footrest, and wherein the footrest bracket is directly pivotally attached to the upper footrest extension link at a front end of the upper footrest extension link, and wherein a rear end of the upper footrest extension link is positioned adjacent a rear end of the seat when the seating unit is in the upright position; and

wherein the reclining mechanism further includes (a) a drive link that is pivotally attached to the carriage of the linear actuator, an actuation transition link that is pivotally attached to the drive link and to the seat, and a coupling link that is pivotally attached to the actuation transition link, wherein the drive link includes an arcuate slot and the coupling link includes a pin that is received in the arcuate slot.

11 . The reclining seating unit defined in claim 10 , wherein in the fully reclined position the seat takes a second pitch angle that is steeper than the first pitch angle.