Rocking furniture member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024251950-A1
Application number	US-202418422698-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 25, 2024
Priority date	Feb 1, 2023
Publication date	Aug 1, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A furniture member including a seat base, a seat assembly, a first and second rocker member, and a first and second rocker spring assembly. The seat assembly is movable relative to the seat base. The first and second rocker members are fixedly attached to the seat frame assembly. Each of the first and second rocker members includes a curved bottom surface in rolling contact with a surface of the seat base. The first and second rocker spring assemblies are secured to the seat base and the first and second rocker members, respectively. The first rocker spring assembly includes a first mount bracket, a second mount bracket, and a first spring that extends between the first and second mount brackets. The second rocker spring assembly includes a third mount bracket, a fourth mount bracket, and a second spring that extends between the third and fourth mount brackets.

First claim

1 .- 30 . (canceled)

31 . A furniture member comprising:
a seat base; a seat assembly having a seat frame assembly, a seat bottom attached to the seat frame assembly, and a seatback attached to the seat bottom, wherein the seat assembly is movable relative to the seat base between a first rocking position and a second rocking position; a first rocker member and a second rocker member fixedly attached to the seat frame assembly, wherein each of the first and second rocker members includes a curved bottom surface in rolling contact with a surface of the seat base; and a first rocker spring assembly secured to the seat base and the first rocker member, wherein the first rocker spring assembly includes a first spring, and wherein the first spring is the only spring of the first rocker spring assembly; a second rocker spring assembly secured to the seat base and the second rocker member, wherein the second rocker spring assembly includes a second spring, and wherein the second spring is the only spring of the second rocker spring assembly; a rack assembly including a first side that is fixedly attached to the seat frame assembly and a second side that includes a plurality of teeth; and a pawl assembly movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and including:
a pawl,
a pawl cap disposed at a top end of the pawl,
a mount bracket attached to the seat base, and
a spring including a first wall that abuts the pawl and a second wall that abuts the mount bracket, the spring being movable between a first position and a second position.

32 . The furniture member of claim 31 , wherein when the pawl assembly is in the disengaged position, the seat assembly is movable between the first rocking position and the second rocking position.

33 . The furniture member of claim 31 , wherein when the pawl assembly is in the engaged position, the seat assembly is restricted from movement between the first rocking position and the second rocking position.

34 . The furniture member of claim 33 , wherein the pawl cap abuts one of the plurality of teeth of the rack assembly.

35 . The furniture member of claim 31 , wherein the pawl cap covers the top end of the pawl.

36 . The furniture member of claim 31 , wherein the pawl cap is formed from a polymeric material or an elastomeric material.

37 . The furniture member of claim 31 , wherein the rack assembly includes a bracket and a ratchet rack that is received in the bracket.

38 . The furniture member of claim 37 , wherein the ratchet rack is formed from a polymeric or an elastomeric material.

39 . The furniture member of claim 37 , wherein the ratchet rack is formed from the same material as the pawl cap.

40 . The furniture member of claim 31 , wherein the first spring is a left-handed spring, and wherein the second spring is a right-handed spring.

41 . The furniture member of claim 31 , wherein the first spring and the second spring have the same handedness.

42 . The furniture member of claim 41 , wherein each of the rocker spring assemblies includes a first mount bracket, a second mount bracket, and a tilt restricting pin, wherein the first spring of the first rocker spring assembly is attached to the first mount bracket and the second mount bracket of the first rocker spring assembly, wherein the second spring of the second rocker spring assembly is attached to the first mount bracket and the second mount bracket of the second rocker spring assembly, and wherein each of the first and second mount brackets include a spring support surface and apertures arranged along an axis that is angled relative to the spring support surface.

43 . The furniture member of claim 41 , wherein the tilt restricting pin is a tubular member and is offset from the respective one of the first and second springs such that coils of the first and second springs do not encircle the tilt restricting pin.

44 .- 73 . (canceled)

74 . A furniture member comprising:
a seat base; a seat assembly having a seat frame assembly, a seat bottom attached to the seat frame assembly, and a seatback attached to the seat bottom, wherein the seat assembly is movable relative to the seat base between a first rocking position and a second rocking position; a first rocker member and a second rocker member fixedly attached to the seat frame assembly, wherein each of the first and second rocker members includes a curved bottom surface in rolling contact with a surface of the seat base; and a first rocker spring assembly and a second rocker spring assembly secured to the seat base and the first and second rocker members, respectively, wherein the first rocker spring assembly includes a first mount bracket that is fixedly attached to the first rocker member, a second mount bracket that is fixedly attached to the seat base, and a first spring that extends between the first and second mount brackets, and a first tilt restricting pin movably attached to the first and second mount brackets, wherein the second rocker spring assembly includes a third mount bracket that is fixedly attached to the second rocker member, a fourth mount bracket that is fixedly attached to the seat base, a second spring that extends between the third and fourth mount brackets, and a second tilt restricting pin movably attached to the third and fourth mount brackets, wherein the first tilt restricting pin is offset from the first spring such that coils of the first spring do not encircle the first tilt restricting pin, and wherein the second tilt restricting pin is offset from the second spring such that coils of the second spring do not encircle the second tilt restricting pin.

75 . The furniture member of claim 74 , wherein the first and second tilt restricting pins are tubular members.

76 . The furniture member of claim 75 , wherein each of the mount brackets include a spring support surface and apertures arranged along an axis that is angled relative to the spring support surface.

77 . The furniture member of claim 74 , further comprising:
a legrest mechanism including a legrest platform, wherein the legrest platform is movable relative to the seat base between a retracted position and an extended position; a rack assembly including a first side that is fixedly attached to the seat frame assembly and a second side that includes a plurality of teeth; and a pawl assembly movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and including:
a pawl,
a pawl cap disposed at a top end of the pawl,
a mount bracket attached to the seat base, and
a spring including a first wall that abuts the pawl and a second wall that abuts the mount bracket, the spring is movable relative to the mount bracket between a first position and a second position,
wherein when the legrest platform is in the extended position, the pawl cap abuts one of the plurality of teeth and restricts the seat assembly from moving between the forward-tilt rocking position and the rearward-tilt rocking position.

78 . The furniture member of claim 77 , wherein the rack assembly includes a bracket disposed at the first side and a ratchet rack that is received in the bracket, wherein the ratchet rack includes a set of plates, each of the plates include the plurality of teeth and the plurality of teeth of each plate are aligned with each other.

79 . The furniture member of claim 77 , wherein the rack assembly includes a back wall positioned at the first side and a pair of sidewalls that extend from opposing ends of the back

Assignees

• La Z Boy Inc

Inventors

• Lapointe Larry P
• Larsen Christopher A

Classifications

• A47C1/03294

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

• A47C3/03

  Locking members (A47C3/027 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47C3/027

  with curved rocking members between seat and frame · CPC title

• A47C7/5068 Primary

  actuated by linkages · CPC title

• A47C1/0265

  positioned under the arm-rests · CPC title