High-Leg Recliner Footrest Linkage for Slim Chair Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional recliner chairs are often bulky and lack versatile headrest configurations, limiting their appeal for sleeker designs that require additional reclining capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A reclining seating unit with a reclining mechanism comprising pivotally interconnected links attached to the base, seat, backrest, and ottoman, allowing movement between upright, TV, and fully reclined positions, featuring a footrest linkage with front and rear ottoman drive links, auxiliary extension links, and brackets to enable ottoman extension and retraction, accommodating various chair styles and providing additional support configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional recliner designs are used, then reclining capability is provided, but the chair becomes bulky and limits styling options
Solution Approach 1:
The ottoman is nested beneath the seat in the upright position, allowing the reclining mechanism to be compact when not in use. The footrest linkage folds the ottoman into a space-saving configuration under the seat, reducing the overall volume of the chair while maintaining full reclining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The reclining mechanism uses dynamic movement of the ottoman and footrest linkage to achieve three distinct positions (upright, TV, and fully reclined) without requiring a bulky fixed structure. The ottoman transitions from a stowed position beneath the seat to an extended horizontal position, providing versatility in a compact form.
2Ease of operation
If the ottoman is extended horizontally in TV position, then foot support is provided, but the ottoman may conflict with high leg chair styles
Solution Approach 1:
The ottoman is preliminarily positioned beneath the seat in high leg chair styles, where the elevated seat clearance provides space for the ottoman to be stowed. This preliminary positioning allows the ottoman to extend horizontally in TV position without conflict, as the high leg design already provides the necessary vertical clearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The ottoman movement utilizes the vertical dimension provided by high leg chair styles during stowing, then transitions to horizontal extension for foot support. This dimensional transition allows compatibility with high leg chair aesthetics while maintaining full functionality when needed.
3Volume of moving object
If the ottoman is positioned beneath the seat in upright position, then compact styling is achieved, but the ottoman must be far from the underlying surface
Solution Approach 1:
The ottoman height from the underlying surface is dynamic rather than fixed. In the upright position, the ottoman is positioned beneath the seat at a height that maintains compact styling. When transitioning to TV or fully reclined positions, the footrest linkage extends the ottoman forward and adjusts its height accordingly, providing the necessary clearance from the surface only when functional.
4Shape
If a sleeker chair design is used, then styling is improved, but additional headrest configurations and reclining capabilities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The reclining mechanism is designed as a universal system that can be integrated into various chair styles including sleeker designs. The mechanism provides multiple functions: upright position, TV position with horizontal ottoman extension, and fully reclined position with backrest pivoting, making it adaptable to different styling requirements while maintaining comprehensive reclining capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A reclining seating unit includes: a base that rests on an underlying surface; a seat; a backrest; an ottoman; and a reclining mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links and attached to the base, seat, backrest and ottoman. The reclining mechanism moves the seat, backrest and ottoman relative to the base between (a) an upright position, wherein the backrest is generally upright, the seat is generally horizontal, and the ottoman is positioned beneath the seat and faces generally downwardly, (b) a TV position, wherein the backrest is generally upright and the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed in front of the seat, and (c) a fully reclined position, wherein the ottoman remains generally horizontally disposed in front of the seat and the backrest takes a shallower angle relative to the seat than in the upright and TV positions. The ottoman is between about 8 and 12 inches in length.