Granted Patent B2

US 12,622,521 · App. 18/521,132 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventors: Larry P. LaPointe (Temperance, MI); Chandrasekar Ramasubramanian (Dayton, TN); Jason D. Rains (Evensville, TN)

Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated

A47C1/0355A47C3/0251

Abstract

Claims (31)

1 . A chair mechanism, comprising:

a frame structure;

a seat bottom supported by the frame structure;

a seat back supported by the frame structure and pivotable to a reclined position relative to the seat bottom;

a leg rest assembly supported by the seat bottom and movable between a stowed position and an extended position; and

a rocking support structure connecting the seat frame to a base structure,

wherein the frame structure includes a cross tube connected to a pair of side rails, the rocking support structure including a rocker mount tube connected to the cross tube of the frame structure by a pair of spring plates, and

wherein the chair mechanism further comprises a pedestal rocker mount assembly connected to the rocker mount tube and including a cylindrical sleeve that is engaged with a spindle of the base structure.

2 . The chair mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the seat bottom is supported at a front end by a pair of radial bearings that are supported by the seat bottom and the pair of radial bearings engage a pair of seat ramps that are secured to the frame structure.

3 . The chair mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the seat bottom is supported at a rear end by a pair of rear seat swing assemblies that are attached to the frame structure, the seat bottom, and the seat back.

4 . The chair mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising an actuator motor that is drivingly connected to an actuator arm that is connected to a first lever of an actuator shaft that include a pair of lever arms that are each connected to a linkage that are each connected to a frame of the seat bottom, wherein the seat bottom is supported at a front end by a pair of radial bearings that are supported by the seat bottom and the pair of radial bearings engage a pair of seat ramps that are secured to the frame structure, and wherein the seat bottom is supported at a rear end by a pair of rear seat swing assemblies that are attached to the frame structure, the seat bottom, and the seat back.

5 . The chair mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the leg rest assembly includes a pair of leg rest arm assemblies that are connected to a frame of the seat bottom and to a leg rest panel, the leg rest assembly including a draw bar connected between the pair of leg rest arm assemblies, the leg rest assembly including an actuator motor that is drivingly connected to an actuator arm that is connected to a rear of a frame of the seat bottom and to the draw bar.

6 . The chair mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein the seat bottom is supported at a front end by a pair of radial bearings that are supported by the seat bottom and the pair of radial bearings engage a pair of seat ramps that are secured to the frame structure.

7 . The chair mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein the seat bottom is supported at a rear end by a pair of rear seat swing assemblies that are attached to the frame structure, the seat bottom, and the seat back.

8 . The chair mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a pawl rack assembly that is mounted to the cross tube and has a rack releasably engaged by a pawl and a rack connector connected to the rack and to the pedestal rocker mount assembly for securing the frame structure in a tilted position.

9 . The chair mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein the seat frame is able to balance and rock on the rocking support structure when the pawl rack assembly is not securing the frame structure in a tilted position.

10 . The chair mechanism according to claim 8 , further comprising a tilt activation lever drivingly connected to the pawl and being movable from a first position that allows the pawl to engage the rack and a second position that disengages the pawl from the rack, wherein the tilt activation lever is connected to an over-center toggle spring.

11 . A chair mechanism, comprising:

a frame structure;

a seat bottom supported by the frame structure;

a seat back supported by the frame structure and pivotable to a reclined position relative to the seat bottom;

a leg rest assembly supported by the seat bottom and movable between a stowed position and an extended position; and

a rocking support structure connecting the seat frame to a base structure,

wherein the frame structure includes a cross tube connected to a pair of side rails, the rocking support structure including a rocker mount tube connected to the cross tube of the frame structure by a pair of spring plates,

wherein the chair mechanism further comprises a pedestal rocker mount arm pivotally connected to the rocker mount tube and including a cylindrical sleeve that is engaged with a spindle of the base structure.

12 . The chair mechanism according to claim 11 , further comprising a tilt adjustment mechanism connected between the rocker mount tube and the pedestal rocker mount tube, wherein the tilt adjustment mechanism includes a tilt adjustment plate having a pivot hole and a plurality of adjustment holes spaced at different distance from the pivot hole.

13 . The chair mechanism according to claim 11 , further comprising a power tilt mechanism that is connected between the rocker mount tube and the pedestal rocker mount arm, the power tilt mechanism tilting the pedestal rocker mount arm relative to the rocker mount tube.

14 . The chair mechanism according to claim 13 , wherein the power tilt mechanism includes an actuator motor connected to an actuator arm that engages a tilt lever attached to a tilt shaft, the tilt shaft connected to a linkage that is connected to upper and lower swing links that are connected to the rocker mount tube and the pedestal rocker mount arm, respectively.

15 . The chair mechanism according to claim 13 , wherein the seat frame is able to balance and rock on the rocking support structure when the power tilt mechanism is not tilting the pedestal rocker mount arm relative to the rocker mount tube.

16 . The chair mechanism according to claim 13 , wherein the power tilt mechanism is operable to secure the frame structure in a tilted position when the leg rest assembly is in any one of a stowed position, an extended position and a partially extended position.

17 . The chair mechanism according to claim 13 , wherein the power tilt mechanism is operable to secure the frame structure in a tilted position when the seat back is in any one of an upright position, a reclined position and a partially reclined position.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (354)