La-z-boy Incorporated

La-z-boy Chair Co.

Richard E Marshall

Larry P LaPointe

Jonathan R Saul

Karl J Komorowski, Jr

Larry P Lapointe

Chad Edward Adams

Eugene O Cole, Ii

Eric B Harwood

Michael R Mero

Jason D Rains

Jason Bryson

Dennis W Wright

Chandrasekar Ramasubramanian

Michael E Mohn

Stephen Brown

Ken K Finzel

Gerald G Stotz

Richard D Hartford

Douglas A Habegger

David Collins

Christopher J Knabusch

Michael Gaines

Brian C Fredricks

Eugene Cole

Eric B Hardwood

Ii Cole Eugene O

Stephen Andrew Brown

Eugene O Ii Cole

Eugene Ii Cole

Eugene O Cole Ii

A furniture member may include a stationary frame assembly and a seat bottom assembly. The stationary frame assembly may include a stationary base frame and a stationary seatback frame that is fixed relative to the base frame. The seat bottom assembly may be supported by the base frame and movable relative to the base frame and the seatback frame between a first position and a second position. The seatback frame is disposed vertically higher than the base frame and the seat bottom assembly.

Furniture member having flexible seatback

A furniture member may include a stationary frame assembly and a seatback cushion. The stationary frame assembly may include a stationary base frame, a pair of stationary armrest frames and a stationary seatback frame that is fixed relative to the stationary base frame and the stationary armrest frames. The seatback cushion may include upholstery attached to at least one of the armrest frames. The upholstery may include a portion disposed between the at least one of the armrest frames and the seatback cushion. The portion of the upholstery may be expandable to allow movement of the seatback cushion relative to the stationary base frame, the stationary armrest frames and the stationary seatback frame between an upright position and a reclined position.

A furniture member may include a stationary seatback frame, a seat bottom assembly, a legrest mechanism, and a backrest support spring. The seat bottom assembly is movable relative to the seatback frame between a nominal position and a tilt position. The legrest mechanism is movable among a retracted position, a first extended position and a second extended position. A portion of the legrest mechanism contacts the seat bottom assembly when the legrest mechanism is in the first extended position and pushes the seat bottom assembly from the nominal position to the tilt position as the legrest mechanism moves from the first extended position to the second extended position. The backrest support spring includes a first end attached to the seatback frame and a second end attached to the seat bottom assembly and movable with the seat bottom assembly relative to the seatback frame.

A furniture member may include a base frame, a seat assembly, a drive rod, a legrest mechanism, and a wall-proximity mechanism. The seat assembly is supported by the base frame and includes a seat frame, a seat bottom, a seatback and a legrest. The legrest is movable relative to the base frame and seat frame between a retracted position and an extended position. The seatback is movable relative to the base frame and seat frame between an upright position and a reclined position. The drive rod is rotatably mounted to the seat frame. The legrest mechanism is attached to the legrest and the seat frame and is driven by the drive rod. The wall-proximity mechanism is connected to the base frame and to the seat assembly and tilts the seat frame rearward relative to the base frame and translates the seat frame forward relative to the base frame.

Furniture member with wall-proximity mechanism

A furniture member may include a base assembly, a frame assembly and a tilt mechanism. The base assembly includes rails having a track and a stop plug received in the track. The frame assembly includes a base frame, a seatback frame and a seat bottom frame. The seatback frame is rotatably coupled to the base frame. The seat bottom frame is coupled to the seatback frame such that rotation of the seatback frame causes movement of the seat bottom frame relative to the seatback frame and the base frame. The tilt mechanism is coupled to the seat bottom frame and engages the tracks such that rotation of the seatback frame relative to the base frame causes bearings of the tilt mechanism to slide along the tracks, thereby translating the base frame relative to the base assembly. The bearings contact stop plugs when the seatback is in a fully reclined position.

Wall proximity furniture member reclining mechanism

A glider furniture member adapted for electrically powered operation includes a frame having a plurality of upright posts. A plurality of links are individually rotatably connected to individual ones of the plurality of upright posts. An actuation mechanism suspended from the upright posts at rotatably connected free ends of each of the links permits forward and rearward gliding motions of the actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism includes a leg rest assembly movable between a fully retracted and a fully extended position inclusive. An electrically powered drive assembly connected to the actuation mechanism rotates the leg rest assembly and the seat back member independently of an occupant induced force operating to move the actuation mechanism in the forward and rearward gliding motions.

Power actuated glider furniture member

A powered headrest operating system includes a headrest connected to a seatback frame using rotational pins. An actuation mechanism rotatably connected to the seatback frame has a power actuated member connected to the headrest operating between retracted and extended positions to rotate the headrest from a fully retracted to a forward rotated position about an axis of rotation of the rotational pins. A release system rotatably connecting the headrest to the actuation mechanism retains the headrest at any forward rotated position while the actuation mechanism returns the power actuated member from the extended to the retracted positions if the headrest encounters an object blocking return to the retracted position. A biasing member connected to the seatback frame and the headrest creating a biasing force during headrest rotation away from the retracted position operates without actuation mechanism operating force to bias the headrest frame assembly toward the retracted position.

Furniture member powered headrest rotation and release system

A furniture member mechanism includes a first actuator device electrically operated to displace first and second seat back actuation links connected to and operating to rotate a seat back member between upright and fully reclined positions. A pantograph linkage set connected to a leg rest member is at least partially supported in an extended position by rotational contact with a support rod. A second actuator device identical to the first actuator device is electrically operated to axially rotate a drive rod connected to a drive link. The drive link is connected to and displaces the pantograph linkage set between the stowed and extended positions. A swing lever rotatably connected to the support rod is rotated during operation of the second actuator device to extend the pantograph linkage set. The swing lever in a fully rotated position displaces the support rod creating a furniture member tilt position.

Mechanism and chair for powered combined and independent seat back and leg rest motion

An electrically operated wall proximity furniture member includes a frame and an actuation mechanism rotatably connected to the frame. The actuation mechanism includes first and second independently rotatable seat back support members oriented to face a wall outer surface. An electrically powered drive assembly operates to rotate the seat back member between fully upright and fully reclined positions inclusive. A point of the seat back support members when positioned in the fully upright position defines a rear-most extent of the actuation mechanism. The rear-most extent defines a vertical plane having no portion of the actuation mechanism extending beyond the rear-most extent toward the wall outer surface during any operation of the actuation mechanism.

Power actuated wall proximity furniture member

A rocking furniture member having an electrically powered actuation mechanism includes a frame and an actuation mechanism connected to the frame. The actuation mechanism includes an extendable and retractable leg rest assembly. A drive assembly connected to the actuation mechanism having an electric motor operates to move the leg rest assembly between a retracted position and any of a plurality of extended positions inclusive including a fully extended position by a command provided by an occupant of the furniture member. A rotation member connecting the actuation mechanism to the frame permits an occupant induced rocking motion of the actuation mechanism with respect to the frame at least when the leg rest assembly is in the retracted position.

Power actuated rocking furniture mechanism

A release system for a furniture member leg rest assembly extended from an actuation mechanism includes an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism having a leg rest assembly movable between a fully retracted and a plurality of extended positions inclusive, including a fully extended position. A pantograph link of the leg rest assembly is rotatably connected to the actuation mechanism. An extension link is rotatably connected to the actuation mechanism and moves in extension and retraction directions. A member is in contact with the extension link and in releasable contact with the pantograph link. The member is in contact with the pantograph link when the member is operating to push the pantograph link outward toward the fully extended position. The member is spatially separable from the pantograph link when an object is contacted by the leg rest assembly during return from any of the extended positions toward the fully retracted position.

Release system for furniture member leg rest assemblies

A furniture member actuation mechanism includes first and second side plates with polymeric inserts each having an elongated slot each receiving a first or second pin. First and second seat back support elements are provided, the first element rotatably coupled to the first side plate and rotatably linked to the first pin and the second element rotatably coupled to the second side plate and rotatably linked to the second pin. First and second leg rest support arms are each connected by a pantograph linkage set to a drive rod disposed through the side plates. A rearward force applied by an occupant to the support elements rotates them rearward with the first and second pins sliding within the elongated slots. An occupant's weight when the rearward force is removed returns the support elements to a pre-rotation position. A cam adjusts a weight a leg rest can hold.

Wall proximity reclining chair with in-line linkage mechanism

A furniture mounted cup holder includes a cup holder base having a perimeter wall defining an interior cavity. A lid is slidably received within the cavity. The lid includes: a flat end surface to support a beverage container; an outer perimeter wall which slides against the cup holder base perimeter wall; and at least one indentation created at a junction between the outer perimeter wall and the end surface. The indentation assists in manual removal of the lid from the cup holder base. A biasing device is in contact with both the end surface of the lid and the cup holder base. The biasing device displaces the lid between a latched, lid depressed position and a lid extended position. Radial extensions of the lid help center the lid in the cavity and prevent lid rotation.

Dampened retractable furniture cup holder

A rocker mechanism is provided for implementation with a chair assembly to enable forward and rearward rocking thereof. The rocker mechanism includes upper and lower castings resiliently interconnected by a pair of leaf springs extending at an angle therebetween. The leaf springs are assembled between the upper and lower castings to define first and second effective lengths of each leaf spring for providing first and second spring rates of each leaf spring. In this manner, rocking motion in a first direction may be more difficult than rocking motion in a second direction. Further, the angular configuration of the leaf springs between the upper and lower castings enables maximization of the lengths of the leaf springs within the rocker mechanism.

Growing community of inventors

Monroe, MI, United States of America

Richard E Marshall