Wall-Proximity Seat Frame Mechanism for Full Recline Near Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reclining chairs or sofas require excessive space from walls to allow the seatback to fully recline, leading to positioning farther away from the wall than desired, as the wall restricts the seatback's movement.
Innovation Solution
A furniture member with a wall-proximity mechanism that includes a base frame, seat assembly, drive rod, legrest mechanism, and a wall-proximity mechanism, which tilts the seat frame rearward and translates it forward relative to the base frame as the seatback reclines, maintaining a consistent distance from the wall in both upright and reclined positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional reclining chairs are positioned far from the wall to allow full seatback recline, then the seatback can fully recline without restriction, but the chair occupies more space and is positioned farther from the wall than desired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the chair frame movable relative to the wall during recline. The wall-proximity mechanism includes motion links that translate the entire chair assembly forward as the seatback reclines, converting a static positioning problem into a dynamic solution where the chair actively adjusts its position during operation to maintain consistent wall clearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a translational degree of freedom in the horizontal dimension. Instead of only rotating the seatback in place (one degree of freedom), the mechanism adds forward translation of the chair frame (second degree of freedom), allowing the recline motion to occur in a combined rotational-translational path that maintains constant distance from the wall.
2Area of stationary object
If the chair is positioned closer to the wall, then space is saved, but the wall restricts the seatback's ability to fully recline
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanism dynamically adjusts the chair's horizontal position during recline. The motion links are configured so that as the seatback rotates rearward, the entire chair assembly translates forward, actively compensating for the reduced initial clearance and enabling full recline even when starting closer to the wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall-proximity mechanism performs preliminary action by pre-positioning the chair frame in a forward-translated state before the seatback completes its recline. The mechanism is designed so that the forward translation occurs concurrently with the recline motion, preparing the spatial configuration needed for complete recline achievement.
3Area of stationary object
If a wall-proximity mechanism is added to translate the chair forward during recline, then clearance from the wall is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motion links serve multiple functions simultaneously: they connect the seatback to the chair frame, transmit the recline force, enable the forward translation of the chair assembly, and maintain structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism merges the recline rotation function with the forward translation function into a single integrated system. The motion links combine these two movements into one coordinated mechanism rather than using separate systems, reducing the total number of components and simplifying the overall device architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A furniture member may include a base frame, a seat assembly, a drive rod, a legrest mechanism, and a wall-proximity mechanism. The seat assembly is supported by the base frame and includes a seat frame, a seat bottom, a seatback and a legrest. The legrest is movable relative to the base frame and seat frame between a retracted position and an extended position. The seatback is movable relative to the base frame and seat frame between an upright position and a reclined position. The drive rod is rotatably mounted to the seat frame. The legrest mechanism is attached to the legrest and the seat frame and is driven by the drive rod. The wall-proximity mechanism is connected to the base frame and to the seat assembly and tilts the seat frame rearward relative to the base frame and translates the seat frame forward relative to the base frame.