IP Library Granted Patent US 10,507,742
Granted Patent B2
US 10,507,742 · App. 16/169,904 · Granted Dec 17, 2019

Motor driven sloped floor recline mechanism for a theater seat

Inventors: Jeffrey Bowen (New Albany, MS); Terry Dale Johnson (Baldwyn, MS); Stephen Simons (New Albany, MS)
Assignee: VIP CINEMA LLC
B60N2/2252A47C1/0345A47C1/03211A47C1/12B60N2/995B60N2002/024B60N2205/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,507,742
App. No.
16/169,904
Granted
Dec 17, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described is recline mechanism for a comfort seating assembly such as a theater seat which can be mounted on a sloped surface. In a fully recline position, the seating assembly is compact with a layout that falls generally within its profile. The recline mechanism includes a pair of each of: seat rail brackets, front pivot links, rear pivot upper lift link to control the motion of the rear end of the assembly, rear pivot links each attached to one rear pivot upper lift link, carrier links, each carrier link attached to one front pivot link and to a rear pivot link and a pair of rear pivot upper lift control links, attached to a pivot upper lift link and to a carrier link. A linear actuator attached by motor drive tubes at two ends of the linkage system transitions the recline mechanism between the closed and recline positions.

Claims (38)

1. A recline mechanism for a seating assembly comprising:

a pair of seat rail brackets;

a pair of front pivot links, wherein each of the pair of front pivot links is attached to one of the pair of seat rail brackets;

a pair of rear pivot links;

a linear actuator;

a front motor drive tube;

a rear motor drive tube;

a pair of rear pivot upper lift links configured to control the motion of a rear end of the seating assembly; and

a pair of rear pivot upper lift control links,

wherein the front motor drive tube is attached to each of the pair of front pivot links and the rear motor drive tube is attached to the pair of rear pivot links;

wherein the linear actuator is attached to the front motor drive tube by a pair of front actuator attachment points and to the rear motor drive tube by a pair of rear actuator attachment points such that the linear actuator is configured to move at both ends; and

wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its upper end to one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links.

2. The recline mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein each link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links is attached at its upper end to one bracket of the pair of seat rail brackets.

3. The recline mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of rear pivot links is attached at its upper end to the lower end of one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links.

4. The recline mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of carrier links, wherein each of the carrier links is attached to one link of the pair of front pivot links and to the lower end of one link of the pair of rear pivot links.

5. The recline mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its lower end to one link of the pair of carrier links.

6. The recline mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its upper end to one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links and at its lower end to one link of the pair of carrier links.

7. A recline mechanism for a seating assembly comprising:

a pair of front pivot links;

a pair of rear pivot links;

a first motor drive tube;

a second motor drive tube, wherein the second motor drive tube is attached at one end to one of the pair of the rear pivot links and another end to the first motor drive tube;

a linear actuator assembly including a motor that is attached to the second motor drive tube at one end, wherein the linear actuator assembly is configured to move at both ends;

a pair of carrier links, wherein each of the carrier links is attached to one link of the pair of front pivot links and to one end of one link of the pair of rear pivot links; and

a pair of rear pivot upper lift control links, wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its lower end to one link of the pair of carrier links.

8. The recline mechanism according to claim 7 , further comprising a pair of seat rail brackets and each link of the pair of front pivot links is attached to one bracket of the pair of seat rail brackets.

9. The recline mechanism according to claim 8 , further comprising a pair of rear pivot upper lift links configured to control the motion of a rear end of the seating assembly, wherein each link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links is attached at its upper end to one bracket of the pair of seat rail brackets.

10. The recline mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein each link of the pair of rear pivot links is attached at its upper end to the lower end of one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links.

11. The recline mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its upper end to one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links and at its lower end to one link of the pair of carrier links.

12. The recline mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its upper end to one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links.

13. The recline mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its lower end to one link of the pair of carrier links.

14. The recline mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its upper end to one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links and at its lower end to one link of the pair of carrier links.

15. The recline mechanism according to claim 7 , further comprising a pair of rear pivot upper lift links.

16. The recline mechanism according to claim 15 , wherein each link of the pair of rear pivot links is attached at its upper end to the lower end of one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links.

17. The recline mechanism according to claim 15 , wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its upper end to one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links and at its lower end to one link of the pair of carrier links.

18. The recline mechanism according to claim 15 , wherein each link of the rear pivot upper lift control links is attached at its upper end to one link of the pair of rear pivot upper lift links.

19. The recline mechanism according to claim 15 , wherein the pair of rear pivot upper lift links is configured to control the motion of a rear end of the seating assembly.

20. The recline mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the first motor drive tube is attached to each of the pair of front pivot links.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2020
From: VIP CINEMA, LLC
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051872/0576 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 27, 2020
From: BNP PARIBAS, AS RESIGNING COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051708/0835 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 2, 2019
From: BNP PARIBAS
To: OAKTREE FUND ADMINISTRATION, LLC
Reel/Frame 050610/0559 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2019
From: BOWEN, JEFFREY; JOHNSON, TERRY D.; SIMONS, STEPHEN
To: VIP CINEMA LLC
Reel/Frame 050470/0479 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 15155004 · May 14, 2016
Provisional Application 62161876 · May 14, 2015
Provisional Application 62162558 · May 15, 2015
Provisional Application 62162607 · May 15, 2015
Related Publication 20190061569A1 · Feb 28, 2019