Restricted rocker spring assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9655451-B2
Application number	US-201615068998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2016
Priority date	Mar 1, 2013
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A furniture member rocker spring assembly includes first and second bracket members arranged in mirror image configuration. First and second springs are positioned between and in direct contact with each of the first and second bracket members. A restrictor bolt assembly is positioned intermediately between the first and second springs. The restrictor bolt assembly includes at least one sleeve member received in an aperture of the first and second bracket members and a fastener that extends through a sleeve bore in the sleeve member. The sleeve member is arranged in sliding contact with at least one of the first and second bracket members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A furniture member rocker spring assembly, comprising:
first and second bracket members arranged in mirror image configuration, the first bracket member connected to a rocker member of a rocking furniture member and the second bracket member connected to a seat support frame of the rocking furniture member;
first and second springs each extending between and directly contacting the first and second bracket members, the first and second springs being spaced apart from each other and defining an intermediate region that extends between the first and second springs; and
a single restrictor bolt assembly positioned between the first and second springs, the single restrictor bolt assembly including:
at least one sleeve member received in sliding contact with an aperture in the first bracket member; and
an elongated fastener extending through a sleeve bore of the at least one sleeve member, the elongated fastener extending between the first and second bracket members at a position located in the intermediate region defined between the first and second springs.

2. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second springs has a longitudinal centerline and the single restrictor bolt assembly has a longitudinal centerline that is spaced equidistant from the longitudinal centerlines of the first and second springs.

3. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second bracket members includes a first mounting flange and a second mounting flange, the first mounting flange oriented substantially normal to the second mounting flange, and the second mounting flange contacting the first and second springs.

4. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 3 , wherein the longitudinal centerlines of the first and second springs are parallel and extend in a common plane and wherein the longitudinal centerline of the single restrictor bolt assembly is parallel to the longitudinal centerlines of the first and second springs and is positioned between the first mounting flange of the first and second bracket members and the common plane defined by the longitudinal centerlines of the first and second springs.

5. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second mounting flange of the first bracket member includes an outer facing surface with raised alignment members that contact and position the first and second springs and wherein the single restrictor bolt assembly is positioned between the raised alignment members that contact the first spring and the raised alignment members that contact the second spring.

6. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 3 , wherein the longitudinal centerlines of the first and second springs extend in a common plane and wherein the longitudinal centerline of the single restrictor bolt assembly is positioned between the common plane and the first mounting flange of the first and second bracket members.

7. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sleeve member includes a first sleeve member and a second sleeve member, the first and second sleeve members each has a flared end, and the elongated fastener includes a fastener head in contact with the flared end of the first sleeve member.

8. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first sleeve member is slidingly received in the aperture in the first bracket member and wherein the second bracket member includes an aperture that slidingly receives the second sleeve member.

9. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 8 , wherein a diameter of both of the first and second sleeves is less than a diameter of the apertures in the first and second bracket members to permit sliding motion of the first and second sleeves in the apertures of the first and second bracket members.

10. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 9 , wherein the flared ends of the first and second sleeve members have diameters that are larger than the diameter of the apertures in the first and second bracket members.

11. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 7 , wherein the flared ends are individually positioned at opposite outer facing surfaces of the first and second bracket members, the flared ends operably contacting the first and second bracket members at a maximum extended position of the first and second bracket members to limit a maximum displacement between the first bracket member and the second bracket member.

12. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first and second sleeve members are aligned coaxially to each other.

13. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 7 , wherein the elongated fastener includes a threaded end opposite the fastener head that threadably engages the second sleeve member.

14. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a stub fastener having a threaded bore engaging a threaded end of the elongated fastener, wherein the stub fastener includes a wrench socket that allows the stub fastener to be retained against rotation when the elongated fastener is rotated to engage the threaded end of the elongated fastener with the threaded bore of the stub fastener, and wherein a portion of the stub fastener is received in the second sleeve member.

15. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sleeve member is a polymeric material that prevents metal-to-metal contact between the elongated fastener and the first and second bracket members.

16. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sleeve member extends longitudinally beyond both of the first and second bracket members and prevents the elongated fastener from contacting the first and second bracket members in any position of the first and second bracket members.

17. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 1 , wherein a spacing between the restrictor bolt assembly and the first spring is equal to a spacing between the restrictor bolt assembly and the second spring.

18. A furniture member rocker spring assembly, comprising:
a first bracket member connected to a rocker member of a rocking furniture member;
a second bracket member connected to a seat support frame of the rocking furniture member, the second bracket member being spaced from and arranged in mirror image configuration with the first bracket member;
first and second springs each extending between and directly contacting the first and second bracket members, the first and second springs being spaced apart from each other and defining an intermediate region that extends between the first and second springs; and
a single restrictor bolt assembly positioned intermediately between the first and second springs, the single restrictor bolt assembly including:
at least one sleeve member received in sliding contact with an aperture in one of the first or second bracket members; and
a fastener extending through a sleeve bore of the at least one sleeve member, the fastener extending between the first and second bracket members at a position located in the intermediate region between the first and second springs.

19. The furniture member rocker spring assembly of claim 18 , wherein each of the first and second springs has a longitudinal centerline and the single restrictor bolt assembly has a longitudinal centerline that is spaced equidistant from the longitudinal centerline

Assignees

• La Z Boy Inc

Inventors

• Harwood Eric B
• Lapointe Larry P

Classifications

• F16F3/04

  composed only of wound springs · CPC title

• A47C3/0252 Primary

  connected only by an elastic member positioned between seat and base frame · CPC title

• A47C3/027 Primary

  with curved rocking members between seat and frame · CPC title

• A47C3/025

  with seat, or seat and back-rest unit, elastically mounted in a rigid frame · CPC title