Furniture member with adjustable seat depth

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019082843-A1
Application number	US-201715710092-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 20, 2017
Priority date	Sep 20, 2017
Publication date	Mar 21, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A furniture member may include a seat base frame, a seat bottom, and a seatback. The seat bottom may be attached to the seat base frame. The seatback may be attached to the seat base frame and may include a seatback frame and a seat-depth-adjustment mechanism. The seat-depth-adjustment mechanism may include a backrest support member and a seat-depth- adjustment actuator. The seat-depth-adjustment actuator may be mounted to the seatback frame and may be drivingly coupled to the backrest support member to move the backrest support member relative to the seatback frame and the seat bottom between a retracted position and an extended position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A furniture member comprising:
a seat base frame; a seat bottom attached to the seat base frame; and a seatback attached to the seat base frame and including a seatback frame and a seat-depth-adjustment mechanism, the seat-depth-adjustment mechanism including a backrest support member and a seat-depth-adjustment actuator, the seat-depth-adjustment actuator mounted to the seatback frame and drivingly coupled to the backrest support member to move the backrest support member relative to the seatback frame and the seat bottom between a retracted position and an extended position.

2 . The furniture member of claim 1 , wherein the backrest support member is closer to a front frame member of the seat bottom when the backrest support member is in the extended position than when the backrest support member is in the retracted position.

3 . The furniture member of claim 2 , wherein an upper edge of the backrest support members is a first distance from an upper edge of the seatback frame when the backrest support member is in the retracted position, wherein the upper edge of the backrest support members is a second distance from the upper edge of the seatback frame when the backrest support member is in the extended position, and wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

4 . The furniture member of claim 1 , wherein the backrest support member translates and rotates relative to the seatback frame when the backrest support member moves between the retracted position and the extended position.

5 . The furniture member of claim 1 , further comprising a recline actuator coupled to the seat bottom, the recline actuator moving the seat bottom relative to the seat base frame and moving the seatback frame relative to the seat bottom and the seat base frame, and wherein the seat-depth-adjustment actuator and the recline actuator are operable independently of each other.

6 . The furniture member of claim 1 , further comprising upholstery that at least partially surrounds the seatback, and wherein the upholstery includes a portion that unfolds when the backrest support member moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

7 . The furniture member of claim 1 , further comprising upholstery that at least partially surrounds the seatback, and wherein the upholstery stretches when the backrest support member moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

8 . The furniture member of claim 7 , wherein the upholstery includes a first portion formed from a first material and a second portion formed from a second material, and wherein the second material has a higher elasticity than the first material.

9 . The furniture member of claim 8 , wherein elasticity of the second portion of the upholstery biases the backrest support member toward the retracted position.

10 . The furniture member of claim 1 , wherein the seat-depth-adjustment mechanism includes first and second backrest support members that move together between the retracted and extended positions.

11 . The furniture member of claim 10 , wherein linkages movably connect the first and second backrest support members to each other and to the seat-depth-adjustment actuator.

12 . The furniture member of claim 11 , wherein the linkages comprise a pair of drive linkages, wherein each of the drive linkages includes a first drive link, a second drive link, and a first connector link, wherein first ends of the first and second drive links are rotatably coupled to the seatback frame, wherein second ends of the first and second drive links movably engage the backrest support members, and wherein the first connector link of each drive linkage is rotatably connected to the respective first and second drive links.

13 . The furniture member of claim 12 , wherein the linkages further comprise a pair of guide linkages, wherein each of the guide linkages includes a first guide link, a second guide link, and a second connector link, wherein first ends of the first guide links are rotatably coupled to the seatback frame, wherein second ends of the first guide links are rotatably coupled to a respective one of the first and second backrest support members, wherein first ends of the second guide links are rotatably coupled to the seatback frame, wherein second ends of the second guide links are rotatably coupled to a respective one of the first and second backrest support members, and wherein the second connector link of each guide linkage is rotatably connected to the respective first and second guide links.

14 . The furniture member of claim 13 , wherein the second ends of the first and second drive links include rollers that rollingly engage the backrest support members.

15 . A furniture member comprising:
a seat base frame including an armrest member; a seat bottom attached to the seat base frame; and a seatback attached to the seat base frame and including a seatback frame and a seat-depth-adjustment mechanism, the seatback frame is rotatably coupled to the armrest member and rotatably coupled to the seat bottom for movement between a reclined position and a non-reclined position, the seat- depth-adjustment mechanism including a backrest support member and a seat- depth-adjustment actuator, the seat-depth-adjustment actuator mounted to the seatback frame and drivingly coupled to the backrest support member to move the backrest support member relative to the seatback frame, the seat bottom and the armrest member between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein a position of the backrest support member does not change in response to rotation of the seatback frame relative to the armrest member and the seat bottom between the reclined and non-reclined position, and wherein the backrest support member is closer to a front frame member of the seat bottom when the backrest support member is in the extended position than when the backrest support member is in the retracted position.

16 . The furniture member of claim 15 , wherein an upper edge of the backrest support members is a first distance from an upper edge of the seatback frame when the backrest support member is in the retracted position, wherein the upper edge of the backrest support members is a second distance from the upper edge of the seatback frame when the backrest support member is in the extended position, and wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

17 . The furniture member of claim 15 , further comprising a recline actuator coupled to the seat bottom, the recline actuator moving the seatback frame relative to the seat bottom and the seat base frame between the reclined and non-reclined positions, and wherein the seat-depth-adjustment actuator and the recline actuator are operable independently of each other.

18 . The furniture member of claim 15 , further comprising upholstery that at least partially surrounds the seatback, and wherein the upholstery stretches when the backrest support member moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

19 . The furniture member of claim 18 , wherein the upholstery includes a first portion formed from a first material and a second portion formed from a second material, and wherein the second material has a higher elasticity than the first material.

20 . The furniture member of claim 19 , wherein elasticity of the second portion of the upholstery biases the backrest support member toward the retracted position.

21 . The furniture member of c

Assignees

• La Z Boy Inc

Inventors

• Lapointe Larry P
• Adams Chad E
• Stotz Gerald G

Classifications

• A47C1/023

  the parts being horizontally-adjustable seats · CPC title

• A47C7/5068

  actuated by linkages · CPC title

• A47C1/03255 Primary

  with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs · CPC title

• A47C7/563

  provided with a back-rest moving with the seat · CPC title

• A47C1/03294

  slidingly movable in the base frame, e.g. by rollers · CPC title