Reclining chair with tilting action to provide cardiac rest position

Abstract

A reclining seat unit includes: a frame having a pair of arms; a backrest; a seat part; a first footrest part; and a reclining mechanism connected between the backrest, the seat and the first footrest and configured to move the seating unit between an upright position, a television position and a fully reclined position. A cardiac rest mechanism is mounted to the frame and the reclining mechanism and is configured to move the seating unit between a fully reclined position in which the backrest is maintained at a second backrest angle relative to the seat and the first footrest is maintained forward of the seat, and a cardiac rest position in which the seat and the first footrest are raised compared to the fully reclined position.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 391,052, filed on July 21, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to furniture and more particularly to seating units for use in the healthcare industry. Background Art

[0003] The advent of home healthcare has created a need for furniture that offers functional features for patients as well as more traditional functions for others. For example, existing chairs are able to recline in multiple positions in the same manner as traditional non-medical recliners, while being able to move into a "cardiac rest" position (also known as the Trendelenburg position). The cardiac rest position is when the user of the chair raises his legs to the height of the heart, or above, thereby encouraging blood to flow to the heart rather than pooling in the legs. This position is often used to treat shock (particularly during dialysis treatments).

[0004] An exemplary chair combining the ability to tilt with the ability to move to a cardiac rest position is discussed and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,367 to Mizelle. The Mizelle chair includes a relatively simple six-bar linkage system and can be stopped in any intermediate position between the upright and fully tilted positions. The caregiver can then lift the front of the seat frame of the chair to bring the chair to a "cardiac rest" position in which the seat frame, backrest frame, and leg rest present a "reclining position tilted approximately 45 degrees." Another exemplary chair, available from Lumex, Inc., uses a tilt mechanism from a conventional residential recliner. In this chair, the tilt mechanism is configured so that once the chair is in a fully tilted position (i.e., a position in which the backrest and seat are pivoted relative to each other so that the angle between them increases), the footrest can release the mechanism to continue its tilting movement, and the angle between the backrest and seat continues to increase. Therefore, the cardiac rest position of this chair provides a support surface that mimics a hospital bed. Another exemplary chair discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030015893 to Hoffman et al. also uses a mechanism from a conventional three-way recliner. The chair can be moved from a fully reclined position to a cardiac rest position by pivoting relative to the frame so that the backrest and seat remain at similar angles to each other; this pivoting motion is actuated by a footrest. Further exemplary chairs with cardiac rest position capabilities are discussed in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,114,770 to Hoffman et al. and 9,603,453 to Hoffman et al.

[0005] Given the above, healthcare chairs may require additional configurations. Summary of the invention

[0006] As a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a reclining seat unit. The reclining seat unit includes: a frame having a pair of arms; a backrest; a seat; a first footrest; a reclining mechanism connected between the backrest, the seat and the first footrest, the reclining mechanism including a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the seat unit between the following positions: (a) an upright position, in which the backrest is set at a substantially upright first backrest angle relative to the seat, the seat is set at a substantially horizontal first seat angle, and the first footrest is retracted under a front portion of the seat; (b) a TV position, in which the backrest substantially maintains the first backrest angle, the seat is set at a second seat angle that is steeper than the first seat angle, and the first footrest extends in front of the seat and is substantially horizontal. The seating unit is configured to move from a fully reclined position to a flat position in which the seat and backrest are moved forward relative to the frame; and (c) a fully reclined position in which the backrest is disposed at a second backrest angle relative to the seat that is greater than the first backrest angle, the first footrest remains extended in front of the seat, and the seat moves forward from its position in the television position; and a cardiac rest mechanism mounted to the frame and the reclining mechanism, the cardiac rest mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the seating unit between a fully reclined position and a cardiac rest position in which the backrest maintains the second backrest angle relative to the seat, the first footrest remains in front of the seat, and the seat and the first footrest are elevated compared to the fully reclined position.

[0007] As a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a reclining chair unit comprising: a frame having a pair of arms; a backrest; a seat; a first footrest; a reclining mechanism connected between the backrest, the seat and the first footrest, the reclining mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the chair unit between the following positions: (a) an upright position, in which the backrest is disposed at a substantially upright first backrest angle relative to the seat, the seat is disposed at a substantially horizontal first seat angle, and the first footrest is retracted below a front portion of the seat; (b) a TV position, in which the backrest substantially maintains the first backrest angle, the seat is disposed at a second seat angle that is steeper than the first seat angle, the first footrest extends in front of the seat and is disposed substantially horizontally, and the seat and backrest move forward relative to the frame; and (c) ) a fully reclined position, in which the backrest is set at a second backrest angle relative to the seat that is greater than the first backrest angle, the first footrest remains extended in front of the seat, and the seat moves forward from its position in the TV position; and a heart rest mechanism mounted to the frame and the reclining mechanism, the heart rest mechanism including a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the seating unit between the fully reclined position and the heart rest position, in which the backrest maintains the second backrest angle relative to the seat, the first footrest remains extended in front of the seat, and the seat and the first footrest are elevated compared to the fully reclined position; and a single powered linear actuator connected to the reclining mechanism and the heart rest mechanism, configured to drive the chair between the upright position, the TV position, the fully reclined position, and the heart rest position.

[0008] As a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a reclining seat unit, comprising: a frame having a pair of arms; a backrest; a seat; a first footrest; a reclining mechanism connected between the backrest, the seat and the first footrest, the reclining mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the seat unit between the following positions: (a) an upright position, in which the backrest is set at a substantially upright first backrest angle relative to the seat, the seat is set at a substantially horizontal first seat angle, and the first footrest is retracted under a front portion of the seat; and (b) a TV position, in which the backrest substantially maintains the first backrest angle, the seat is set at a second seat angle that is steeper than the first seat angle, and the first footrest is retracted at the seat. The invention relates to a seating unit for tilting the chair unit to a television position, wherein the backrest is arranged in front of the seat and is disposed generally horizontally, and the seat and backrest are moved forward relative to the frame; and (c) a fully reclined position in which the backrest is arranged at a second backrest angle relative to the seat that is greater than the first backrest angle, the first footrest remains extended in front of the seat, and the seat moves forward from its position in the television position; and a heart rest mechanism mounted to the frame and the tilt mechanism, the heart rest mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the seating unit between the fully reclined position and a heart rest position in which the backrest is maintained at the second backrest angle relative to the seat, the first footrest remains in front of the seat, and the seat and the first footrest are elevated compared to the fully reclined position. The tilt mechanism comprises a base link, wherein the heart rest mechanism is coupled to the base link, wherein the base link is stationary relative to the frame when the tilting chair unit moves between the upright position, the television position, and the fully reclined position, and wherein the base link moves forward and upward relative to the frame when moving from the fully reclined position to the heart rest position. The reclining chair unit also includes a powered linear actuator coupled to the reclining mechanism and the cardiac rest mechanism, the powered linear actuator being configured to drive the chair between an upright position, a television position, a fully reclined position, and a cardiac rest position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a reclining chair with cardiac rest function according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the chair is shown in an upright position.

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cutaway side view of the chair, shown in the television position.

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A cutaway side view of the chair, shown in the fully reclined position.

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A cutaway side view of the chair, shown in the cardio resting position.

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Side view of the reclining and cardio rest mechanism of the chair, shown in the upright position.

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Side view of the chair's recline and cardio rest mechanism, shown in the television position.

[0015] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A side view of the chair's recline and cardio rest mechanism, shown in the fully reclined position.

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A side view of the reclining and cardio-rest mechanism of the chair, shown in the cardio-rest position.

[0017] Fig. 9 yes Figure 1 A side view of the cardiac rest mechanism of the chair showing its arrangement in an upright position, a television position and a fully reclined position.

[0018] Fig.10 yes Figure 1 A side view of the cardiac rest mechanism of the chair, showing its arrangement in the cardiac rest position.

[0019] Fig.11 yes Figure 1 A top view of the chair, shown in the upright position.

[0020] Fig.12 is a cross-sectional side view of a reclining chair with a cardiac rest function according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the chair being shown in an upright position with the cardiac rest mechanism retracted.

[0021] Fig.13 yes Fig.12 A cutaway side view of a chair showing the backrest reclined and the heart rest mechanism extended.

[0022] Fig.14 yes Fig.12 A cutaway side view of the chair showing the footrest retracted and the heart rest mechanism extended.

[0023] Fig.15 yes Fig.12 A cutaway side view of the chair showing the footrest extended and the heart rest mechanism also extended. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown; on the contrary, these embodiments are intended to fully and completely disclose the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the accompanying drawings, the same numbers always refer to the same elements. For the sake of clarity, the thickness and size of some parts may be exaggerated. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or configurations may not be described in detail.

[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. It should also be understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0026] In addition, for ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "below", "below" and "lower", "above" and "upper" or the like may be used herein to describe the relationship of an element or feature to another element or feature shown in the figure. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figure, spatial relative terms are also intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is inverted, then the elements described as "below" or "under" other elements or features will be "above" these elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary term "below" can cover the orientation of above and below. The device can be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptors used in this article can also be interpreted accordingly.

[0027] The terms used herein are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "one", "an" and "the" used herein also include plural forms. It should be further understood that when the terms "include" and / or "comprise" are used in this specification, the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or parts is specified, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts, and / or their groups is not excluded. As used herein, the expression "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0028] Unless otherwise stated, when used, the terms "attached," "connected," "interconnected," "contacting," "coupled," "mounted," or the like can refer to direct or indirect attachment or contact between elements.

[0029] In addition, some of the components of the seat unit described herein (particularly its mechanisms) are shown herein as a series of pivotally interconnected links or members. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the pivots between the links or other components can be in various configurations, such as pivot pins, rivets, bolt and nut combinations, or the like, any of which may be suitable for use with the present invention. In addition, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, the shape and configuration of the links themselves may vary. Furthermore, in some embodiments, some links may be omitted entirely, while in some embodiments additional links may be included.

[0030] Now referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1-11 1 shows a wall recliner generally indicated at 10. The chair 10 includes a frame 12 having two opposing arms 14 connected by a plurality of cross members 16. Specifically, the frame 12 includes an upper cross member 18 spanning the upper end portions 14a of the arms 14. The chair also includes a seat 20 with a cushion (not shown) covering the seat frame 22, the backrest 24, and the primary and secondary footrests 29a, 29b (see FIG. Figure 1 and Fig.11 ).

[0031] The seat 20, backrest 24 and footrests 29a, 29b are interconnected by two mirror-image tilt mechanisms 30 that enable the chair 10 to be tilted in an upright position ( Figure 1 and Figure 5 )、TV Location( Figure 2 and Figure 6 ), and fully reclined positions ( Figure 3 and Figure 7 ). The tilt mechanisms 30 are mirror images of each other about a longitudinal vertical plane P that divides the chair into a left side and a right side (see Fig.11 ). Therefore, only one tilt mechanism 30 will be discussed in detail herein, with the understanding that the discussion also applies to its mirror image tilt mechanism. Figure 3 and Figure 7 ) describes the tilt mechanism 30 so as to more easily illustrate the interconnection of its various links.

[0032] In addition, the chair 10 includes two mirror-image heart rest mechanisms 250 mounted to the frame 12 and the tilt mechanism 30, allowing the chair 10 to be tilted from Figure 3 and Figure 7 Move from full recline position to cardio rest position ( Figure 4 and Figure 8 For clarity, reference will first be made to the heart resting position ( Figure 4 , 8and 10) describe the cardiac rest mechanism 250. Thus, the reclining mechanism 30 and the cardiac rest mechanism 250 combine to move the chair between an upright position, a television position, a fully reclined position, and a cardiac rest position.

[0033] Reference now Figure 4 , 8 10, the heart rest mechanism 250 includes a mounting link 262 fixed to the inner surface of the arm 14. A finger 271 is fixed to the rear end of the mounting link 262; a cross member 272 extends between the finger 271 on opposite sides of the chair 10. A rear swing link 264 is attached to the rear region of the mounting link 262 at a pivot 266 and extends downwardly and forwardly therefrom. The lower end of the rear swing link 264 is spanned by a cross member 268. A heart rest bracket link 274 is mounted to the lower portion of the rear swing link 262 at a pivot 276 at its rear end and extends generally forwardly and slightly upwardly therefrom. A front swing link 278 is attached to the front end of the mounting link 262 at a pivot 280. A lift link 282 is attached to the upper end of the front swing link 278 at a pivot 284 at its mid-portion. A cross member 286 extends between the lower ends of the lift links 282. The control link 288 is attached to the central portion of the mounting link 262 at pivot 290 and to the rear end of the lift link 282 at pivot 292. The slot 288a in the control link 288 receives the pin 262c on the mounting link 262.

[0034] Reference now Figure 3 and Figure 7 , the tilt mechanism 30 includes a base link 152, which is fixed to the inner surface of the heart rest bracket link 274 to provide a mounting location for multiple links of the tilt mechanism 30. The lower rear swing link 154 is mounted to the extension 453 on the base link 152 at the pivot 156 and extends forwardly and slightly upwardly therefrom. The angled upper rear swing link 158 is attached to the lower rear swing link 154 at the pivot 160 at its lower end and extends upwardly and slightly forwardly therefrom. The control link 162 is attached to the apex of the upper rear swing link 158 at the pivot 164 at its lower end and extends upwardly and slightly rearwardly to the pivot 166, wherein the rear post 165 is fixed to the backrest 24. The saddle-shaped extension 168 is fixed to the rear end of the seat frame 22 via a fixing finger 323; the extension 168 is attached to the rear post 165 at pivot 172 and to the upper end of the upper rear swing link 158 at pivot 170.

[0035] The rear tilt link 174 is attached to the base link 152 at pivot 176 and extends upward and slightly forward therefrom. A transition link 178 is attached to the upper end of the rear tilt link 174 at pivot 180 at an intermediate position. The lower end of the transition link 178 is attached to the carrier link 190 at pivot 194. The upper end of the transition link 178 is attached to the rear end of the coupling link 182 at pivot 184.

[0036] The front tilt link 208 is attached at its lower end to the front end of the base link 152 at pivot 212. At its upper end, the front tilt link 208 is attached to the middle position of the traction link 186 at pivot 206. The traction link 186 is attached at its lower end to the carrier link 190 at pivot 192. The front end of the coupling link 182 is attached to the middle position on the traction link 186 at pivot 189. At its upper end, the traction link 186 is attached to the drive link 214 at pivot 216. The drive link 214 is attached at its rear end to the base link 152 at pivot 218. The rear seat swing link 196 is attached to the rear end of the carrier link 190 at pivot 198 and to the seat frame 22 at pivot 200. The front seat swing link 202 is attached to the carrier link 190 at pivot 207 and to the seat frame 22 at pivot 204 .

[0037] The tilt mechanism 30 also includes a footrest linkage 83 having a lower footrest swing link 84 that is attached to the seat frame 22 at pivot 85 and extends forward therefrom. The lower footrest swing link 84 is also attached at its upper end to the footrest traction link 138 at pivot 145. The footrest traction link 138 is also attached to the load-bearing link 190 at pivot 146. The upper footrest swing link 88 is also attached to the seat frame 22 at pivot 90 and extends forward therefrom. The upper footrest extension link 92 is attached to the front end of the lower footrest swing link 84 at pivot 94 and extends upward and forward therefrom. The upper footrest extension link 92 is also attached to the upper footrest swing link 88 at pivot 93. The lower footrest extension link 96 is attached to the front end of the upper footrest swing link 88 at a pivot 98 and extends forward and upward therefrom. The main footrest bracket 100 is attached to the front ends of the upper footrest extension link 92 and the lower footrest extension link 96 at pivots 102 and 104, respectively. The main footrest 29a is mounted on the main footrest bracket 100 ( Figure 3 ).

[0038] The lower auxiliary footrest swing link 110 is attached to the main footrest bracket 100 at pivot 104, and the upper auxiliary footrest swing link 116 is attached to the main footrest bracket 100 at pivot 118. The auxiliary footrest bracket 120 is attached to the front ends of the swing links 110, 116 at pivots 122, 124, respectively. The control link 106 is attached to the front end of the lower footrest extension link 96 at pivot 108 and to the upper auxiliary footrest swing link 116 at pivot 112. The auxiliary footrest 29b is mounted on the auxiliary footrest bracket 120 ( Figure 3 ).

[0039] The electric linear actuator 311 drives the chair 10 between the upright position, the television position, the fully reclined position, and the cardiac rest position, and is also capable of moving the chair 310 to the upright position ( Figure 1 and Figure 5 ) and heart rest position ( Figure 4 and Figure 8 ) anywhere between. The linear actuator 311 includes a track 312 and a carriage 313 driven along the track 312 (e.g., by a motor and drive screw or the like). At its rear end, the track 312 is attached to the flange link 270 at a pivot 459. The cross member 272 extends between extensions 271, which are fixed to the mounting links 262 on each side of the chair 310. The lower rear swing link 154 is attached to the rear end of the extension 453 fixed relative to the heart rest bracket link 274 and the base link 152. The flange link 270 is fixed to the cross member 272 and extends forwardly from the cross member 272. The drive member 314 is fixed to the carriage 313 and extends forwardly therefrom. The drive member 314 is pivotally attached to the crank 316 at a pivot 317, which is fixed to the cross member 462. The cross member 462 is fixed to the lower footrest swing link 84 and extends between the lower footrest swing links. The linear actuator 311 is operably connected to a power source, which can be a battery, an electrical outlet accessible via a power cord, or the like. The linear actuator 311 can also be connected to a control unit (e.g., a keyboard, a joystick, a toggle switch, a button, etc.) that starts and stops the movement of the bracket 313 relative to the track 312.

[0040] The operation of the chair 10 is generally performed from the time when the chair 10 is in the Figure 1 and Figure 5 In the upright position, the heart rest mechanism 250 is arranged so that the mounting link 262 and the heart rest bracket link 274 (which is fixed to the base link 152 of the tilt mechanism 30 as described above) are generally aligned with each other (i.e., their front and rear ends are generally in the same longitudinal position - see Fig. 9). The rear swing link 264 extends forwardly and upwardly from the pivot 266, and the front swing link 278 extends rearwardly and slightly upwardly from the pivot 280. The lift link 282 extends upwardly and slightly rearwardly from the pivot 284. The lower edge of the front swing link 278 engages with the pin 262a on the mounting link 262, and the rear surface of the rear swing link 262 engages with the pin 262b; the interaction of the pins 262a, 262b with the front swing link 264 and the rear swing link 278 prevents unnecessary rotation of these links beyond the position shown and thus helps to maintain the heart rest mechanism 250 in the proper position when the tilt mechanism 30 is operated.

[0041] In addition, in the upright position (see Figure 1 and Figure 5 ), the footrest linkage 83 of the reclining mechanism 30 is folded under the front portion of the seat 20, the main footrest 29a is arranged approximately vertically in front of the seat 20, and the auxiliary footrest 29b is arranged approximately vertically behind the main footrest 29a. The rear seat swing link 196 and the front seat swing link 202 are both arranged approximately upright. The rear tilt link 174 and the front tilt link 208 are also arranged approximately upright, but tilted backward. The transition link 178 and the traction link 186 are both inclined approximately forward. The load-bearing link 190 is approximately horizontal and approximately longitudinally centered relative to the base bracket 152. The seat frame 22 has a slight pitch (between about 2 degrees and 7 degrees). The backrest 24 is slightly tilted backward (at an angle of about 105 to 120 degrees relative to the horizontal plane), and the upper part of the backrest 24 is adjacent to the upper cross member 18.

[0042] In some embodiments, the footrest mechanism 83 is arranged so that the primary footrest 29a and the secondary footrest 29b have the same (or nearly the same) width (e.g., substantially the entire width of the chair 10). Fig.11 As shown, the width of the auxiliary footrest 29b is almost the same as that of the main footrest 29a (within 1-2 inches). This is due to the fact that Figure 1 and Figure 5 In the upright position shown, there is no link of the tilt mechanism 30 located directly in front of the auxiliary footrest 29b, which would prevent the auxiliary footrest from moving forward (see also Fig.11 ). This is in contrast to many existing chairs in which the width of the auxiliary footrest 29b is shorter than the width of the main footrest 29a because the link that controls the extension and retraction of the main footrest 29b is located directly in front of the auxiliary footrest 29a, so if the auxiliary footrest 29b is almost as wide as the main footrest 29a, it will interfere with the extension of the main footrest.

[0043] In order to move chair 10 to Figure 2 and Figure 6 To position the television in the desired position, the user of the chair 10 activates the linear actuator 311, which causes the bracket 313 to move forward on the track 312. This action forces the drive member 314 forward, which then drives the crank 316 forward. The forward movement and counterclockwise rotation of the crank 316 causes the lower footrest swing link 84 to rotate counterclockwise about the pivot 85. The movement of the lower footrest swing link 84 drives the upper footrest extension link 92 forward, which then causes the upper footrest swing link 88 to rotate about the pivot 90. The rotation of the upper footrest swing link 88 drives the lower footrest extension link 96 forward and slightly separates it from the upper footrest extension link 92. The relative movement of the upper footrest extension link 92 and the lower footrest extension link 96 causes the main footrest support 100 to rotate counterclockwise to a generally horizontal position. The relative rotation of the main footrest bracket 100 and the lower footrest extension link 96 also forces the control link 106 away from the main footrest bracket 100, which extends the upper auxiliary footrest swing link 116, which in turn extends the auxiliary footrest bracket 120. The extension stops when the upper footrest swing link 88 hits the pin 92a on the upper footrest extension link 92. Other aspects of the extension of the footrests 29a, 29b can be discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,752,890 to Murphy et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0044] In addition, the rotation of the lower footrest swing link 84 generates a rearwardly directed force on the footrest traction link 138, which is also directed at the load link 190 at the pivot 146. However, due to the weight of the chair user, the load link 190 is prevented from moving backward; therefore, an oppositely directed forward reaction force is exerted on the seat frame 22. As a result, the seat frame 22 (and the rest of the seat 20) moves forward relative to the load link 190 (and thus relative to the frame 12 and the base link 152 and the heart support link 274 mounted thereon). The forward movement of the seat frame 22 is controlled by the rear seat swing link 196 and the front seat swing link 202. The forward movement of the seat frame 22 also causes the lower rear swing link 154 to rotate clockwise about the pivot 156. The rear end of the seat frame 22 drops, thereby increasing the pitch angle of the seat 20 by 2 to 10 degrees. The backrest 24 maintains its angle relative to the seat 20. When the pin 22a on the seat frame 22 hits the rear edge of the rear intermediate swing link 196, the action stops.

[0045] It is noteworthy that the length and upright to slightly rearward arrangement of the rear intermediate swing link 196 and the front intermediate swing link 202 enable the seat 20 to move forward a greater distance than previous chairs. In some embodiments, the forward movement of the seat 22 relative to the frame 12 is between about 2.5 and 4 inches, which occurs without substantially relative motion between the load-bearing link 190 and the frame 12.

[0046] In order to move chair 10 from Figure 2 and Figure 6 The TV position is moved to Figure 3 and Figure 7 312. The user of the chair 10 activates the linear actuator 311 to move the bracket 313 further forward on the track 312. This movement pushes the seat frame 22 forward. Because the seat frame 22 and the carrier link 190 cannot move relative to each other, the forward movement of the seat frame 22 also drives the carrier link 190 forward relative to the base link 152. This movement is controlled by the rear tilt link 174 and the front tilt link 208, which pivot clockwise about the pivots 176, 212 relative to the base link 152. The rotation of these tilt links 174, 208 forces the carrier link 190 forward through the transition link 178 and the traction link 186 attached to the carrier link 190. The forward movement of the carrier link 190 in turn moves the seat frame 22 forward. This movement continues until the rear tilt link 174 contacts the pin 152a on the base link 152.

[0047] The forward movement of the seat frame 22 also drives the rear post 165 (and the backrest 24) counterclockwise about the pivot 172. This rotation first causes the lower rear swing link 154 to fully extend forward, at which point the upper rear swing link 158 rotates clockwise about the pivot 160. This movement raises the rear end of the seat frame 22 and also moves the backrest 24 to a reclined position (i.e., a position having an increased angle relative to the seat 20).

[0048] When moving from the TV position to the fully reclined position, the seat frame 22 moves forward relative to the frame 12 between about 4 and 7 inches, which occurs without substantial relative forward movement between the seat frame 22 and the load link 190. When this distance is combined with the forward movement of the seat frame 22 relative to the frame 12 when moving from the upright position to the TV position, the total distance may be as much as 6.5 to 11 inches. Importantly, as Figure 3 As shown, this degree of movement enables the backrest 24 to reach a fully reclined position even with the rear cross member 18 (i.e., the uppermost end of the backrest 24 is located forward of the rear cross member 18). Thus, a chair according to the embodiments shown herein can have the ability to approach a wall even with a fully formed backrest, which is typically the case with a fully padded rear chair.

[0049] In addition, this configuration also enables the use of a deeper seat frame 22, which can provide more space for sitting, lying down, napping, etc. front and back. In addition, in some embodiments, an integral cushioning member (e.g., a cushion or cushion-like member) can be used to cover the seat and footrest 29a and attached to the footrest 29b. For example, the cushion-like member can be attached to the rear end of the seat 20, extend forward to cover the seat 20, extend downward to cover the front surface of the main footrest 29a, and extend backward under the main footrest 29a to attach to the upper edge of the auxiliary footrest 29b. The extension / retraction of the footrests 29a, 29b and the forward movement of the seat 20 allow the cushion-like member to remain taut, but not overstretched, as these components move between positions.

[0050] The movement of the chair 10 between the upright position, the television position, and the fully reclined position is controlled by the reclining mechanism 30, while the cardiac rest mechanism 250 remains stationary relative to the frame 12. However, when it is necessary to move the chair 10 from the fully reclined position to the Figure 4 and Figure 8 When the heart resting position is reached, the user activates the linear actuator 311 to drive the carriage 313 further forward on the track 312. Because the tilt mechanism 30 is now fully extended, the forward movement of the carriage 313 forces the heart resting carriage link 274 and the base link 152 (fixed thereto) forward. As the heart resting carriage link 274 moves forward, its movement is controlled by the rear swing link 264, which rotates counterclockwise about the pivot 266, and the front swing link 278, which rotates clockwise about the pivot 280. The rotation of the front swing link 278 forces the lifting link 282 to rotate upward and causes it to rotate counterclockwise about the pivot 284. The action of the lifting link 282 causes the front end of the heart support link 274 (and in turn the seat 22 and footrests 29a, 29b) to rise relative to the mounting link 262. When the carriage 313 reaches the front end of the track 312, the movement stops (thereby enabling the chair 10 to reach the Figure 4 and Figure 8 It is noteworthy that the footrests 29a, 29b, seat 20, and backrest 24 do not move relative to each other, but rather move forward and "tilt" in unison (e.g., backrest 24 maintains the same angle relative to seat 20, footrests maintain the same distance from seat 20, etc.)

[0051] In the cardiac resting position, the chair 10 is arranged so that the footrests 29a, 29b are raised between about 6 and 14 inches from their height in the fully reclined position. In addition, the pitch angle of the seat 20 is increased between about 10 and 15 degrees from its pitch angle in the fully reclined position; similarly, the recline angle of the backrest 24 is decreased between about 10 and 15 degrees. Thus, the feet of the user of the chair 10 are positioned well above the user's heart to promote blood flow to the heart.

[0052] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the seating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention may take other forms. For example, although a chair is shown herein, the tilt mechanism 30 and the heart rest mechanism 250 may be used for other seating units, such as a love seat, a sofa, a sectional sofa or similar.

[0053] In addition, in other embodiments, the actuation mechanism can be changed as needed, including manual operation units and other power actuation units. For example, the "track and bracket" linear actuator shown in this article can be replaced by a "sleeve and rod" or "telescopic" linear actuator.

[0054] Furthermore, in other embodiments, the chair 10 may have only one footrest, or may have three or more footrests. Other variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0055] As another example, Figure 12-15 5. A chair generally designated 500 is shown in FIG. 5. Chair 500 has a tilt mechanism 530 similar to the tilt mechanism of chair 10; however, the heart rest mechanism 650 is configured differently and a second linear actuator 750 is employed. Fig.12 As shown, linear actuator 750 is pivotally mounted to frame 512 at pivot 514 via small bracket 516. Linear actuator 750 has the "sleeve and rod" configuration described above. The free end of rod 752 is attached to bracket 754 at pivot 756. Bracket 754 is fixed to cross member 758, which is also fixed to heart rest drive link 760. Heart rest drive link 760 is attached to heart rest bracket link 274 at pivot 762 and to mounting link 262 at pivot 764.

[0056] exist Fig.12 The rod 752 of the linear actuator 750 is retracted into the sleeve and the heart rest drive link 760 is arranged so that it extends upward and slightly forward from the pivot 762. The extension of the rod 752 from the sleeve forces the lower end of the heart rest drive link 760 forward and rotates the heart drive link 760 counterclockwise (from Fig.12 and 13 This action forces the heart rest bracket link 274 forward relative to the mounting link 262, which has the effect of raising the footrests 529a, 529b, increasing the pitch of the seat 522, and tilting the backrest 524 (see Fig.13 ).

[0057] It is noteworthy that the use of the second linear actuator 750 enables the chair 500 to assume a position controlled by the cardiac rest mechanism 650 independently of the tilt mechanism 530. Figure 1-11In addition to the upright position, television position, fully reclined position, and cardiac rest position of the chair 10 shown in FIG. 1 , the chair 500 can also be in the cardiac rest position with the cardiac rest mechanism 650 extended (a) and the footrests 529a, 529b retracted (see FIG. 1 ). Fig.14 ) and (b) the footrests 529a, 529b are extended but the backrest 524 is not tilted (see Fig.15 ) location.

[0058] The foregoing is an illustration of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting thereof. Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications may be made in the exemplary embodiments without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present invention. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims. The present invention is defined by the following claims, and equivalents of the claims shall also be included.

Claims

1. A reclining seat unit comprising: a frame having a pair of arms; Backrest; seat; First footrest; a reclining mechanism connected between the backrest, the seat and the first footrest, the reclining mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the reclining seating unit between the following positions: (a) an upright position, in which the backrest is disposed at a first, generally upright, backrest angle relative to the seat, the seat is disposed at a first, generally horizontal, seat angle, and the first footrest is retracted below a front portion of the seat; (b) a TV position, in which the backrest substantially maintains the first backrest angle, the seat is disposed at a second, steeper seat angle than the first seat angle, the first footrest extends forward of the seat and is disposed generally horizontally, and the seat and backrest are moved forward relative to the frame; and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the backrest is disposed at a second, greater than the first backrest angle relative to the seat, the first footrest remains extended forward of the seat, and the seat is moved forward from its position in the TV position; and A cardiac rest mechanism is mounted to the frame and the reclining mechanism, the cardiac rest mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the reclining seat unit between a fully reclined position and a cardiac rest position, in which the backrest maintains a second backrest angle relative to the seat, the first footrest remains forward of the seat, and the seat and the first footrest are elevated compared to the fully reclined position.

2. The reclining seating unit of claim 1 further comprising a back member extending between the arms.

3. A reclining seating unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the cardiac rest position the first foot rest is raised to between about 6 and 14 inches higher than in the fully reclined position.

4. The reclining seat unit according to claim 1 or 2 further includes a second footrest, wherein the second footrest is attached to the reclining mechanism, wherein in the upright position, the second footrest is arranged under the seat and behind the first footrest, and in the TV position and the fully reclined position, the second footrest is located in front of the first footrest.

5. The reclining seating unit of claim 4, wherein in the upright position the first foot rest is vertically disposed.

6. The reclining chair unit of claim 1 further comprising a powered linear actuator coupled to the reclining mechanism and the cardiac rest mechanism, the powered linear actuator being configured to drive the chair between an upright position, a television position, a fully reclined position, and a cardiac rest position.

7. A tilt mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tilt mechanism includes a base link, wherein the cardiac rest mechanism is connected to the base link, and wherein the base link is stationary relative to the frame when the tilt seat unit moves between the upright position, the TV position, and the fully tilted position.

8. The reclining seating unit of claim 7, wherein the base link moves forwardly and upwardly relative to the frame when moving from the fully reclined position to the cardiac rest position.

9. A reclining seat unit comprising: a frame having a pair of arms; Backrest; seat; First footrest; a reclining mechanism connected between the backrest, the seat and the first footrest, the reclining mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the reclining seating unit between the following positions: (a) an upright position, in which the backrest is disposed at a substantially upright first backrest angle relative to the seat, the seat is disposed at a substantially horizontal first seat angle, and the first footrest is retracted below a front portion of the seat; (b) a TV position, in which the backrest substantially maintains the first backrest angle, the seat is disposed at a second seat angle that is steeper than the first seat angle, the first footrest extends forward of the seat and is disposed substantially horizontally, and the seat and backrest are moved forward relative to the frame; and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the backrest is disposed at a second backrest angle greater than the first backrest angle relative to the seat, the first footrest remains extended forward of the seat, and the seat moves forward from its position in the TV position; and a cardiac rest mechanism mounted to the frame and the reclining mechanism, the cardiac rest mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the reclining seating unit between a fully reclined position and a cardiac rest position in which the backrest is maintained at a second backrest angle relative to the seat, the first footrest is maintained forward of the seat, and the seat and the first footrest are elevated compared to the fully reclined position; as well as A single powered linear actuator, coupled to the recline mechanism and the cardiac rest mechanism, is configured to drive the chair between an upright position, a television position, a fully reclined position, and a cardiac rest position.

10. The reclining seating unit of claim 9 further comprising a back member extending between the arms.

11. The reclining seating unit of claim 9 or 10, wherein in the cardiac rest position the first foot rest is raised between about 6 and 14 inches higher than in the fully reclined position.

12. The reclining seat unit according to claim 9 or 10 further comprises a second footrest, wherein the second footrest is attached to the reclining mechanism, wherein in the upright position, the second footrest is arranged under the seat and behind the first footrest, and in the TV position and the fully reclined position, the second footrest is located in front of the first footrest.

13. The reclining seating unit of claim 12, wherein in the upright position the first foot rest is vertically disposed.

14. A tilt mechanism according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the tilt mechanism includes a base link, wherein the heart rest mechanism is connected to the base link, and wherein the base link is stationary relative to the frame when the tilt seat unit moves between the upright position, the TV position, and the fully tilted position.

15. The reclining seating unit of claim 14, wherein the base link moves forwardly and upwardly relative to the frame when moving from the fully reclined position to the cardiac rest position.

16. A reclining seat unit comprising: a frame having a pair of arms; Backrest; seat; First footrest; a reclining mechanism connected between the backrest, the seat and the first footrest, the reclining mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the reclining seating unit between the following positions: (a) an upright position, in which the backrest is disposed at a first, generally upright, backrest angle relative to the seat, the seat is disposed at a first, generally horizontal, seat angle, and the first footrest is retracted below a front portion of the seat; (b) a TV position, in which the backrest substantially maintains the first backrest angle, the seat is disposed at a second, steeper seat angle than the first seat angle, the first footrest extends forward of the seat and is disposed generally horizontally, and the seat and backrest are moved forward relative to the frame; and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the backrest is disposed at a second, greater than the first backrest angle relative to the seat, the first footrest remains extended forward of the seat, and the seat is moved forward from its position in the TV position; and a cardiac rest mechanism mounted to the frame and the reclining mechanism, the cardiac rest mechanism comprising a series of pivotally interconnected links and configured to move the reclining seating unit between a fully reclined position and a cardiac rest position in which the backrest is maintained at a second backrest angle relative to the seat, the first footrest is maintained forward of the seat, and the seat and the first footrest are elevated compared to the fully reclined position; wherein the reclining mechanism includes a base link, wherein the cardiac rest mechanism is coupled to the base link, wherein the base link is stationary relative to the frame when the reclining seating unit moves between the upright position, the television position, and the fully reclined position, and wherein the base link moves forwardly and upwardly relative to the frame when moving from the fully reclined position to the cardiac rest position; and The reclining seat unit further includes a powered linear actuator coupled to the reclining mechanism and the cardiac rest mechanism, the powered linear actuator being configured to drive the chair between an upright position, a television position, a fully reclined position, and a cardiac rest position.

17. The reclining seating unit of claim 16 further comprising a back member extending between the arms.

18. The reclining seating unit of claim 16 or 17, wherein in the cardiac rest position the first foot rest is raised between about 6 and 14 inches higher than in the fully reclined position.

19. The reclining seat unit according to claim 16 or 17 further includes a second footrest, wherein the second footrest is attached to the reclining mechanism, wherein in the upright position, the second footrest is arranged under the seat and behind the first footrest, and in the TV position and the fully reclined position, the second footrest is located in front of the first footrest.

20. The reclining seating unit of claim 19, wherein in the upright position the first foot rest is vertically disposed.

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