Reclining lounge chair

This is a continuation of international patent application PCT/EP2007/006864, filed Aug. 2, 2007, which designated the United States, and which claimed priority to German patent application No. 10 2006 039 278.7, filed Aug. 22, 2006. These applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

The present invention generally relates to a reclining lounge chair, and more particularly, to a reclining lounge chair comprising a footrest lift mechanism.

Lounge chairs, which can be adjusted between an upright position and a reclined position, are well known. A category-defining reclining lounge chair is described in FR 635,465 A. This known chair comprises a footrest, which is connected to a seat by a horizontal pivot axis. An adjusting lever mechanism is provided, which is pivotally supported by a horizontal support axle relative to the frame. The opposite end of the adjusting lever mechanism is pivotally supported by the footrest through a horizontal support axle.

A reclining lounge chair comprising a seat, a backrest, and a footrest, is described in EP 0,358,666 B1, invented by the same inventor hereof. The backrest is pivotally joined to the seat by a horizontal axle, and the seat is pivotally joined to the footrest by a horizontal axle, respectively. Thereby, the seating and lounge chair can be folded, such that the footrest, the seat, and the backrest are located essentially parallel to each other.

The reclining lounge chair of EP 0,358,666 can be adjusted into a semi-reclined lounge position, in which the backrest points upward and rearward, extending from the rear end of the seat. The footrest points downward and forward from the front end of the seat towards the floor. From this position the lounge chair can be adjusted into a fully reclined sleeping position, in which footrest, seat, and backrest are essentially located in a continuous horizontal plane. This style of reclining lounge chairs has been well accepted in the market.

In variation therefrom other reclining lounge chairs exist. Reclining lounge chairs are known, which comprise an integral couch frame comprising a center seat section, a backrest section, and footrest section. In such chairs the backrest section is positioned at a fixed predetermined small angle relative to the center seat section, and the center seat section is positioned at a fixed predetermined small angle relative to the footrest section. The integral couch frame can pivot about a single horizontal axis relative to a base frame. Such lounge chairs, known as “health loungers”, can often be found in baths, sanatoriums, etc. An occupant can adjust such lounge chairs by shifting his or her weight. The lounge chair can typically be adjusted between an upright position, in which the front end of the integral couch frame touches the floor, and a fully reclined position, in which the footrest is aligned approximately horizontal.

An advantage of these “health loungers” is their simple design, since the entire couch frame is connected with the base frame by a single horizontal axle, around which the chair can pivot. No further hinges between backrest and seat or between seat and footrest are provided. Disadvantageous, however, is that getting in and out of such couches is cumbersome, especially for elderly persons. In order to sit down an occupant may enter from the front, but that requires walking backward with legs spread far apart to clear the footrest. Alternatively an occupant can attempt to enter or exit the couch from the side, but that is difficult due to armrests blocking access to the couch from the side.

Based on the previously described “health lounger” it is an object of the current invention to provide an improved reclining lounge chair, that can be adjusted between at least an upright position and a reclined position, and that has ergonomic advantages over known health loungers.

In one aspect of the invention, a reclining lounge chair is provided, which comprises a footrest that is pivotally connected to a center seat member by a footrest attachment axle. A footrest lift mechanism is operatively connected to the footrest. The footrest lift mechanism causes the footrest to rotate about the footrest attachment axle as the lounge chair is reclined. While the lounge chair is in its non-reclined, upright position, the footrest is oriented approximately vertical. In this approximately vertical orientation the footrest doesn\'t extend significantly forward of the center seat member, thus allowing an occupant easy access to the chair from the front. The center seat member may be at a height from the floor that is typical for chairs, which allows an occupant to easily get in and out of the lounge chair while in the upright position. This ergonomic design is a significant improvement over the previously described health lounges, which have fixed footrests that extend forward of the center seat member at all times.

The reclining lounge chair may comprise a seat and backrest subassembly, which is pivotally connected to a base frame by a seat attachment axle. Also operatively connected to the base frame is the rear end of the footrest lift mechanism. The front end of the footrest lift mechanism is operatively connected to the footrest. An occupant may adjust the lounge chair from the upright position into a reclined position, simply by shifting his or her weight. This causes the seat and backrest subassembly to rotate about the seat attachment axle. Rotation of the seat and backrest subassembly causes the footrest lift mechanism to simultaneously rotate the footrest about the footrest attachment axle relative to the center seat member. When the lounge chair reaches its fully reclined position the footrest may have rotated from its original approximately vertical orientation into an approximately horizontal orientation, thus providing a comfortable sleeping position.

To exit, the lounge chair may be adjusted back into the upright position. During the adjustment the footrest lift mechanism causes the footrest to rotate from its approximately horizontal orientation back into its approximately vertical orientation, pointing downward from the footrest attachment axle towards the floor. The vertical orientation of the footrest while the chair is in its upright position allows an occupant to easily exit, as the footrest does not obstruct the exit path.

Generally, recliners are known, which through a weight shift or by adjusting the backrest, allow a footrest to rotate into an elevated position. Such recliners, however, comprise comparatively complex adjustment mechanisms, often including scissor style rods. In contrast, the disclosed design is relatively simple, and requires only a single footrest lift mechanism. Due to its simple design the described lounge chair may be used outdoors, for examples in backyards or baths, or commercially, e.g. in hospitals, indoor public swimming pools, etc.

In another aspect of the invention, the footrest lift mechanism may comprise two footrest lift bars, one on each side of the lounge chair. Each footrest lift bar may be pivotally connected at its front end to the footrest by a front footrest lift axle, and at its rear end to the base frame by a rear footrest lift axle. The footrest lift bars may be aligned almost congruent with the center seat member. To achieve this, the rear footrest lift axle may be located close to the seat attachment axle, preferably below and/or in front of the seat attachment axle. Similarly, the front footrest lift axle may be located close to the footrest attachment axle, and preferably in front of the footrest attachment axle. The footrest may comprise an embedded extension shape to provide sufficient attachment space for both the footrest lift axle and the footrest attachment axle.

In a further aspect of the invention, the front footrest lift axle and the rear footrest lift axle may be located such, that a line drawn from the front to the rear footrest lift axle intersects a line drawn from the footrest attachment axle to the seat attachment axle.

In yet another aspect of the invention a latch mechanism may be provided to prevent the reclining chair from changing its position too easily, especially to prevent movement of the chair caused by unintended weight shifts of larger occupants. The latch mechanism may lock the chair in one or more predetermined reclining positions.

The latch mechanism may comprise a sliding arm, which rotate relative to a latch disk, as the chair is reclined. The sliding arm may be spring-loaded, compressing a latch spring upon axial movement away from the latch disk. The sliding arm may comprise one or more protrusions, that engage one or more radially extending recesses in the latch disk as the chair reaches predetermined reclining positions. Vice versa, the sliding arm may comprise recesses that engage protrusions on the latch disk.

While the chair is in its upright position one or more protrusions at the sliding arm resiliently engage one or more recesses at the latch disk. When the chair is reclined the sliding arm rotates about an axle extending through the center of the latch disk. This forces the one or more protrusions of the sliding arm to leave the corresponding recesses at the latch disk. The sliding arm is pushed axially along its pivot axis in the center of the latch disk away from the latch disk, thereby compressing the latch spring. Upon reaching a second predetermined reclining position the protrusions at the sliding arm resiliently reengage a second set of recesses in the latch disk, causing the chair to assume a stable, predetermined reclining position. An adjustment force larger than the latch force is required to change the chair\'s position after it has reached one of its predetermined positions.