Mechanism for reclining armchairs

Abstract

 Mechanism for reclining armchairs comprising at least one base (1), one frame (5) suitable for supporting a seat (6) and one frame (7) suitable for supporting a back (8), wherein the frame (5) for the seat (6) is mechanically connected to the frame (7) for the back (8) and to a carriage (3) which can slide longitudinally on the base (1), said frame (7) for the back (8) being mechanically connected to the base (1), so that when the carriage (3) slides forward with respect to the base (1) said frames (5, 7) move forward and rotate backward, thereby inclining themselves.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanism for reclining armchairs, and in particular to a mechanism which can be used for controlling the movement of the seat and the back of a reclining armchair.

[0002] The known mechanisms for reclining armchairs generally comprise a base, a frame suitable for supporting a seat and a frame suitable for supporting a back. These frames are mechanically connected to the base by means of lever systems, so as to rotate the seat and the back, thereby inclining them backward, when the armchair is in the reclined position. However, in these known mechanisms the back inclined backward protrudes behind the base, thereby forcing the user to leave a relatively wide free space behind the armchair so that the back can completely recline.

[0003] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which is free from said drawback. Said object is achieved with a mechanism, the main features of which are disclosed in the first claim and other features are disclosed in the subsequent claims.

[0004] Thanks to the carriage which is provided with, the mechanism according to the present invention not only rotates the frames for the back and the seat, thereby inclining them backward, but also moves them forward, so that the back does not protrude behind the base or protrudes only slightly behind it when the armchair is in the reclined position.

[0005] Furthermore, thanks to the particular mutual mechanical connections between the frames for the back and the seat, as well as between these frames and the base, the mechanism according to the present invention allows a steady and smooth movement of the back and the seat, with consequent improvement of the user's comfort.

[0006] One or more pneumatic pistons are preferably pivoted between the frames for the back and the seat for being compressed, in a manner adjustable by the user, when the armchair passes to the reclined position, so as to assist the inverse movement when the user stands up from the armchair.

[0007] According to a particular advantageous aspect of the invention, the frames for the back and the seat, as well as the base, are made with robust structures which are simple and cheap to be manufactured and maintained.

[0008] According to another particular advantageous aspect of the invention, the mechanism is provided with a device which automatically extends a footrest when the armchair passes to the half-reclined or reclined position.

[0009] According to a further particular advantageous aspect of the invention, the mechanism is provided with a device which automatically locks it when the armchair passes to the upright position and which can be manually unlocked by the user.

[0010] Further advantages and features of the mechanism according to the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art from the following detailed and non-limiting description of an embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

• figure 1 shows a top view of the mechanism according to the present invention in the reclined position;
• figure 2 shows a cross-sectioned side view according to plane II-II of the mechanism of figure 1, on which a back, a seat and a footrest are mounted;
• figure 3 shows a cross-sectioned side view of the mechanism of figure 1 in the partially reclined position;
• figure 4 shows a cross-sectioned side view of the mechanism of figure 1 in the upright position; and
• figure 5 shows a partial cross-sectioned side view of the locking device of the mechanism of figure 1.

[0011] Referring to figures 1 and 2, it is seen that the mechanism according to the present invention comprises in a known way a base 1, in particular comprising two longitudinal bars 1a, 1b fixed to two crossbars 1c, 1d provided with feet 2 for the support to the ground.

[0012] According to the invention, a carriage 3 comprising two longitudinal bars 3a, 3b mutually joined by at least one crossbar 3c can longitudinally slide on base 1 thanks to a plurality of wheels 4. In particular, the front portion of the longitudinal bars 3a and 3b is bent upward, so that these bars are L-shaped, while their rear end is provided with a pair of wheels 4 arranged above and under the longitudinal bar 1a or 1b, respectively, so as to slide astride the latter bar. Also the front end of the longitudinal bars 1a and 1b of base 1 is provided with a pair of wheels 4 arranged above and under the longitudinal bar 3a or 3b, respectively, so as to slide astride the latter bar. With this system of mutually coupled wheels, carriage 3 can slide on base 1 in a steady and smooth manner.

[0013] A frame 5 suitable for supporting the seat 6 of an armchair is pivoted to the front ends of the longitudinal bars 3a and 3b of carriage 3. Also frame 5 is provided with a pair of longitudinal bars 5a, 5b which are mutually joined by at least one crossbar 5c.

[0014] A frame 7 suitable for supporting the back 8 of an armchair is pivoted to the rear ends of the longitudinal bars 5a and 5b of frame 5 for seat 6. Also frame 7 for back 8 is provided with a pair of longitudinal bars 7a, 7b which are mutually joined by at least one crossbar 7c. In the present embodiment, the longitudinal bars 7a, 7b are T-shaped. Frame 7 for back 8 is mechanically connected to base 1 by means of one or more levers 9a, 9b pivoted in particular to a pair of tongues 10a, 10b fixed to crossbar 7c of frame 7 and to a pair of tongues 11a, 11b fixed to crossbar 1c of base 1.

[0015] With this arrangement, when carriage 3 slides forward with respect to base 1, frames 5 and 7, and consequently seat 6 and back 8 fixed thereto, move forward and simultaneously rotate backward, thereby inclining themselves, so that back 8 does not protrude behind base 1 or protrudes only slightly behind it. The inclination of frame 5 is limited by its crossbar 5c which at a certain point of the rotation with respect to carriage 3 hits onto the longitudinal bars 3a and 3b of the latter. Furthermore, during the inclination of frames 5 and 7 due to the forward sliding of carriage 3, one or more pneumatic pistons 12 pivoted between these frames compress for assisting the inverse movement to the upright position. A screw device controlled by a knob 13 is preferably arranged at the lower end of the longitudinal bars 7a, 7b of frame 7 for adjusting the position of the pneumatic pistons 12 and therefore the force exerted by the latter during their expansion.

[0016] The mechanism according to the present invention preferably comprises also a device 14 suitable for extending and retracting a footrest 15. The extension device 14 comprises two groups of levers or rods, in particular two pairs of levers 16a, 16b and 17a, 17b, pivoted to the longitudinal bars 5a, 5b of frame 5, as well as to two pairs of rods 18a, 18b and 19a, 19b, respectively, in turn pivoted to a pair of supports 20a, 20b to be fixed to footrest 15. The two groups of levers or rods of the extension device 14 are mutually connected by at least one crossbar 21, for example fixed between levers 16a and 16b. Furthermore, the pair of levers 17a, 17b, besides being pivoted to rods 19a and 19b, is also pivoted to rods 18a and 18b, so that the two groups of levers or rods of the extension device 14 act as two parallel kinematic mechanisms suitable for setting footrest 15 in a translatory and rotatory movement. As a matter of fact, during the forward sliding of carriage 3, footrest 15 moves from a substantially vertical position under seat 6 to a substantially horizontal position in front of seat 6, substantially aligned with the latter. The movement of the extension device 14, and therefore of footrest 15, is controlled by the movement of carriage 3 by means of a pair of rods 22a, 22b pivoted to the pair of levers 16a, 16b, respectively, as well as to another pair of levers 23a, 23b pivoted to the longitudinal bars 3a, 3b of carriage 3. A further pair of levers 24a, 24b is pivoted to the pair of levers 23a, 23b and to the longitudinal bars 5a, 5b of frame 5, respectively.

[0017] With this arrangement, when carriage 3 slides forward and frame 5 rotates downward, the two pairs of levers 23a, 23b and 24a, 24b rotate the ones with respect to the others, so as to push forward rods 22a and 22b, which in turn set in motion the extension device 14 which extracts footrest 15.

[0018] With reference to figure 3, it is seen that for arranging the mechanism according to the present invention in the upright position, it is sufficient to push carriage 3 backward with respect to base 1. This movement involves in a first moment the sole translation and rotation of frame 7, driven by levers 9a and 9b and assisted by pistons 12, so that the mechanism arranges itself in a partially reclined position, i.e. with back 8 in an almost vertical position, but still with seat 6 inclined and footrest 15 extracted.

[0019] In figure 4 it is seen that the further backward displacement of carriage 3 with respect to base 1 causes the simultaneous translation and rotation of frames 5 and 7, as well as the operation of the extension device 14, so that back 8 arranges itself in a substantially vertical position, seat 6 arranges itself in a substantially horizontal position and footrest 15 arranges itself under seat 6 in a substantially vertical position.

[0020] Finally, referring to figure 5, it is seen that the mechanism according to the present invention preferably comprises a locking device 25 fixed to base 1. This locking mechanism comprises a hook 26 suitable for rotating and hooking to crossbar 21 of the extension device 14 when carriage 3 reaches its rear end position. In particular, hook 26 is pivoted to a tongue fixed to the front crossbar 1d of base 1 and can be manually rotated for unlocking from crossbar 21, so as to allow the forward sliding of carriage 3. For this purpose, locking device 25 comprises a lever 27 that can be operated manually and is fixed to a transversal shaft 28 mounted in a rotating manner in base 1. A tongue 29 is fixed in a radial manner to shaft 28 and is pivoted to a rod 30 in turn pivoted to hook 26. The user, by pulling lever 27, can thus rotate shaft 28, so as to rotate upward the point of hook 26 and free crossbar 21. Once lever 27 has been released, the point of hook 26 is carried back downward by a spring 31.

Claims

1. Mechanism for reclining armchairs comprising at least one base (1), one frame (5) suitable for supporting a seat (6) and one frame (7) suitable for supporting a back (8), characterized in that the frame (5) for the seat (6) is mechanically connected to the frame (7) for the back (8) and to a carriage (3) which can slide longitudinally on the base (1), said frame (7) for the back (8) being mechanically connected to the base (1), so that when the carriage (3) slides forward with respect to the base (1) said frames (5, 7) move forward and rotate backward, thereby inclining themselves.

2. Mechanism according to the previous claim, characterized in that the frame (5) for the seat (6) is pivoted to the carriage (3).

3. Mechanism according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the frame (7) for the back (8) is pivoted to the frame (5) for the seat (6).

4. Mechanism according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the frame (7) for the back (8) is mechanically connected to the base (1) by means of one or more levers (9a, 9b) pivoted to the base (1).

5. Mechanism according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that said base (1) comprises two longitudinal bars (1a, 1b) fixed to two crossbars (1c, 1d).

6. Mechanism according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that said carriage (3) comprises two longitudinal bars (3a, 3b) mutually joined by at least one crossbar (3c).

7. Mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that said the rear end of the longitudinal bars (3a, 3b) of the carriage (3) is provided with a pair of wheels (4) arranged above and under one longitudinal bar (1a, 1b) of the base, respectively, so as to slide astride the latter bar, the front end of the longitudinal bars (1a, 1b) of the base (1) being in turn provided with a pair of wheels (4) arranged above and under one longitudinal bar (3a, 3b) of the carriage (3), respectively, so as to slide astride the latter bar.

8. Mechanism according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the frame (5) for the seat (6) is pivoted to the front ends of the longitudinal bars (3a, 3b) of the carriage (3), which are bent upwards.

9. Mechanism according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the frame (5) for the seat (6) comprises a pair of longitudinal bars (5a, 5b) which are mutually joined by at least one crossbar (5c).

10. Mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that the frame (7) for the back (8) is pivoted to the rear ends of the longitudinal bars (5a, 5b) of the frame (5) for the seat (6).

11. Mechanism according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the frame (7) for the back (8) comprises a pair of longitudinal bars (7a, 7b) which are mutually joined by at least one crossbar (7c).

12. Mechanism according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that during the inclination of the frames (5, 7) due to the forward sliding of the carriage (3), one or more pneumatic pistons (12) pivoted between these frames compress for assisting the inverse movement of the latter frames.

13. Mechanism according to claim 12, characterized in that the force exerted by the pneumatic pistons (12) during their expansion is adjustable.

14. Mechanism according to claim 13, characterized in that the a screw device controlled by a knob (13) is arranged at the rear end of the longitudinal bars (7a, 7b) of the frame (7) for adjusting the position of the pneumatic pistons (12).

15. Mechanism according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a device (14) suitable for extending and retracting a footrest (15), so that during the forward sliding of the carriage (3), the footrest (15) moves from a substantially vertical position under the seat (6) to a substantially horizontal position in front of the seat (6), substantially aligned with the latter.

16. Mechanism according to claim 15, characterized in that said extension device (14) for the footrest (15) comprises two pairs of levers (16a, 16b, 17a, 17b), pivoted to the frame (5) for the seat (6), as well as to two pairs of rods (18a, 18b, 19a, 19b), respectively, in turn pivoted to a pair of supports (20a, 20b) for the footrest (15), a pair of said levers (17a, 17b), besides being pivoted to a pair of said rods (19a, 19b), being also pivoted to the other pair of said rods (18a, 18b), so that the two groups of levers or rods of the extension device (14) act as two parallel kinematic mechanisms suitable for setting the footrest (15) in a translatory and rotatory movement.

17. Mechanism according to claim 16, characterized in that the two groups of levers or rods (16a, 16b, 17a, 17b, 18a, 18b, 19a, 19b) of the extension device (14) are mutually connected by at least one crossbar (21).

18. Mechanism according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the movement of the extension device (14) is controlled by a pair of rods (22a, 22b) pivoted to a pair of levers (16a, 16b) of the extension device (14), as well as to a second pair of levers (23a, 23b) pivoted to the carriage (3), respectively, a third pair of levers (24a, 24b) being pivoted to the second pair of levers (23a, 23b) and to the frame (5) for the seat (6), respectively, so that when the carriage (3) slides forward, the second and the third pairs of levers (23a, 23b, 24a, 24b) rotate the ones with respect to the others and push forward said rods (22a, 22b).

19. Mechanism according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that a locking device (25) fixed to the base (1) comprises a hook (26) suitable for rotating and hooking to the crossbar (21) of the extension device (14) when the carriage (3) reaches its rear end position.

20. Mechanism according to claim 19, characterized in that the hook (26) is pivoted to the base (1) and can be manually rotated for unlocking from the crossbar (21), so as to allow the forward sliding of the carriage (3).

21. Mechanism according to claim 20, characterized in that the locking device (25) comprises a lever (27) that is fixed to a transversal shaft (28) mounted in a rotating manner in the base (1), as well as a tongue (29) that is fixed in a radial manner to the shaft (28) and is pivoted to a rod (30) in turn pivoted to the hook (26), so that by pulling the lever (27) the point of hook (26) rotates upward, thereby setting the crossbar (21) free.

Drawing