Furniture member power mechanism with selectable lift movement and zero gravity position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9358167-B2
Application number	US-201414227837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2014
Priority date	Sep 19, 2013
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

A furniture member has a base frame including first and second frame members each having a first or second frame support tube. A mechanism includes a motor connected to the base frame and a torque tube connected to first and second support brackets and the motor. A stiffening tube assembly has first and second side stiffening tubes, the first frame support tube connected to the first side stiffening tube and the second frame support tube connected to the second side stiffening tube. Multiple rotation links include a first set connected to the first frame support tube and the first side stiffening tube, and a second set connected to the second frame support tube and the second side stiffening tube. The rotation links allow mechanism rotation to a forward lift position by motor operation displacing the torque tube and thereby forwardly rotating and lifting the side stiffening tubes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A furniture member having an occupant lift position, comprising:
a base frame including a first frame member having a first frame support tube fixed thereto and a second frame member having a second frame support tube fixed thereto;
a mechanism connected to the base frame including:
a motor connected to the base frame; and
a torque tube connected to first and second support brackets and to the motor;

a stiffening tube assembly having first and second side stiffening tubes, the first frame support tube connected to the first side stiffening tube and the second frame support tube connected to the second side stiffening tube; and
multiple rotation links including a first set rotatably connected to the first frame support tube and to the first side stiffening tube, and a second set rotatably connected to the second frame support tube and to the second side stiffening tube, the multiple rotation links allowing rotation of the mechanism to at least a forward lift position by operation of the motor acting to displace the torque tube and thereby to forwardly rotate and lift the first and second side stiffening tubes,
wherein the first set of rotation links includes first and second rotation links rotationally connected at opposite ends of the first frame support tube, and the second set of rotation links includes third and fourth rotation links rotationally connected at opposite ends of the second frame support tube.

2. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1 , wherein the first and second frame support tubes each include an upward bend at a rear facing end elevating a position of a rotational fastener positioned at the rear facing end above a rotational fastener positioned at a front facing end.

3. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 2 , wherein:
the first and third rotation links are rotatably connected to the rotational fastener at the front facing end; and
the second and fourth rotation links are rotatably connected to the rotational fastener at the rear facing end.

4. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 2 , wherein the rotational fastener at the front facing end of each the first and second frame support tubes is positioned at approximately a mid-span of the first and second frame members.

5. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1 , further including:
a first tube member fixed to the first side stiffening tube, the third and fourth rotation links rotatably connected to the first tube member; and
a second tube member fixed to the second side stiffening tube, the first and second rotation links rotatably connected to the second tube member.

6. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1 , wherein the frame support tube of each of the first and second frame members is fixedly connected to an upward directed face of the first and second frame members.

7. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1 , further including:
an extension shaft positioned in a shaft housing, the shaft housing connected to the motor, the extension shaft extensible from the shaft housing by operation of the motor; and
a coupling bracket fixed to the torque tube and rotatably connected to the extension shaft.

8. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1 , further including a motor mount bracket fixedly connected to a frame member of the base frame, and a clevis pin rotatably connecting the motor to the motor mount bracket allowing the motor to rotate during operation.

9. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1 , further including a second mechanism supported by the stiffening tube assembly, the second mechanism having a second motor actuated to displace each of a leg rest mechanism and a seat back of the furniture member.

10. A furniture member having an occupant lift position, comprising:
a base frame including a first frame member having a first frame support tube fixed thereto and a second frame member having a second frame support tube fixed thereto, each of the first and second frame support tubes having an upward directed bend at a rear facing end thereof;
a mechanism connected to the base frame including:
a motor; and
a torque tube connected to first and second support brackets and to the motor such that the torque tube is displaced by operation of the motor;

a stiffening tube assembly having first and second side stiffening tubes, the first frame support tube connected to the first side stiffening tube and the second frame support tube connected to the second side stiffening tube; and
a first rotation link rotatably connected to a front facing end of the first frame support tube and a second rotation link rotatably connected to the upward directed bend of the first frame support tube; a third rotation link rotatably connected to a front facing end of the second frame support tube and a fourth rotation link rotatably connected to the upward directed bend of the second frame support tube; the multiple rotation links allowing rotation of the mechanism to at least a forward lift position by operation of the motor acting to displace the torque tube and thereby to displace the first and second side stiffening tubes.

11. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 10 , wherein the first and third rotational links are shorter than the second and fourth rotational links.

12. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 11 , further including a first rotational fastener at a forward facing end of each of the first and second frame support tubes rotationally connecting the first and third rotational links to one of the first and second frame support tubes.

13. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 12 , wherein the first rotational fastener is positioned at approximately a mid-span in a front-to-back orientation of the first and second frame members.

14. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 12 , further including a second rotational fastener positioned rearward of the first rotational fastener at a rearward facing end of the upward directed bend of the first and second frame support tubes rotationally connecting one of the second and fourth rotational links to one of the first and second frame support tubes.

15. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 12 , wherein the first and second frame members and the first and second frame support tubes are rectangular shaped and each of the first and second frame support tubes is fixedly connected to an upward directed face of one of the first and second frame members.

16. A furniture member having an occupant lift position, comprising:
a base frame supporting the furniture member on a floor surface, the base frame including a first frame member having a first frame support tube fixed thereto and a second frame member having a second frame support tube fixed thereto, each of the first and second frame support tubes having an upward directed bend at a rear facing end thereof;
a first mechanism, including:
a first motor rotatably connected to the base frame; and
a torque tube displaced by operation of the first motor;

a stiffening tube assembly having first and second side stiffening tubes, the first frame support tube connected to the first side stiffening tube and the second frame support tube connected to the second side stiffening tube;
a second mechanism supported by the stiffening tube assembly, the second mechanism having a second motor; and

Assignees

• La Z Boy Inc

Inventors

• Lapointe Larry P
• Hegedus Alexander M
• Harwood Eric B

Classifications

• A47C1/0355

  actuated by linkages, e.g. lazy-tongs mechanisms · CPC title

• A61G5/14 Primary

  Standing-up or sitting-down aids · CPC title

• A47C1/029

  by changing the length or the inclination of the legs · CPC title

• A47C31/008

  Use of remote controls · CPC title

• Y10T74/20341

  Power elements as controlling elements · CPC title