Electrically controlled recliner with independent rocker-limiting mechanism
View Patent ↗A recliner has a chassis relative to which a seat, a backrest and a leg rest are supported. Electrically controlled recliner and leg rest mechanisms displace the backrest and leg rest between sitting and reclining states. The chassis is supported via a rocker mechanism on a base so as to allow rocking of the chassis relative to the base from a neutral position alternately towards a forward-tipped position and a rearward-tipped position. An electrically controlled rocker-limiting mechanism is deployed such that progressive actuation of the rocker-limiting mechanism deploys from a neutral state in which the chassis is free to rock through an intermediate state in which the chassis is free to rock within only a limited range to a final state in which the chassis is forced into a rearward-tipped position.
1. A recliner comprising:
(a) a base;
(b) a chassis supported via a rocker mechanism on said base so as to allow rocking of said chassis relative to said base from a neutral position alternately towards a forward-tipped position and a rearward-tipped position;
(c) a seat, a backrest and a leg rest supported relative to said chassis;
(d) an electrically controlled recliner mechanism including a first electrical actuator deployed for displacing said backrest between an upright position and a reclining position relative to said chassis;
(e) an electrically controlled leg rest mechanism including a second electrical actuator deployed for displacing said leg rest between a folded position and an extended position; and
(f) an electrically controlled rocker-limiting mechanism including a third electrical actuator, said rocker-limiting mechanism being deployed such that progressive actuation of said rocker-limiting mechanism deploys from a neutral state in which said chassis is free to rock from said forward-tipped position to said rearward-tipped position through an intermediate state in which said chassis is free to rock within a limited range from said rearward-tipped position towards said neutral position to a final state in which said chassis is forced into a rearward-tipped position.
2. The recliner of claim 1 , wherein said electrically controlled rocker-limiting mechanism is operable independently of both said recliner mechanism and said leg rest mechanism.
3. The recliner of claim 1 , wherein said first electrical actuator is deployed to displace said seat along a track, and wherein said back rest is connected to said seat via a linkage such that sliding of said seat along said track causes displacement of said back rest from said upright position to said reclining position.
4. The recliner of claim 1 , wherein, when said recliner mechanism brings said backrest to said reclining position, said leg rest mechanism brings said leg rest to said extended position and said rocker-limiting mechanism including a third electrical actuator, said rocker-limiting mechanism brings said chassis to said rearward-tipped position, said seat, said backrest and said leg rest define a user body position in which a user's feet are raised to within +/−15 cm of the level of the user's head.