AU752941B2

AU752941B2 - Recline mechanism for chair or the like

Info

Publication number: AU752941B2
Application number: AU97190/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Alan Bidwell
Original assignee: IGC Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: IGC Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1997-12-19
Filing date: 1998-12-17
Publication date: 2002-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-17
Also published as: AU9719098A

Description

P/00/01i1 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 0*@O 0S@e 0O OS 0 00*30S 0 600 S :Invention Title: STANDARD PATENT Recline mechanism for chair or the like The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best **'ethod of performing it known to us: 00 0 0 FH-PMEL069834801 4.9 2 RECLINE MECHANISM FOR CHAIR OR THE LIKE Field of the Invention This invention relates to a recline mechanism for chairs or the like and refers particularly, although not exclusively to a recline mechanism for chairs or the like for use by infants and babies.

Throughout this specification reference to infant is to be taken as including a reference to a baby, toddler, invalid, or other person likely to regularly use a high chair (such as a baby's high chair).

Throughout this specification reference to a chair is to be taken as including a push chair, wheel chair, perambulator, or the like.

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10 Background of the Invention Babies' chairs have been in use for some time. They normally have legs upon which is placed a seat, the seat having a pivotal or removable tray attached thereto upon which the infant can place food or the like. Many variations and forms of these high chairs have s15 been made. Although they are generally referred to as high chairs, and generally have elongate leg systems, some have relatively low legs. However, the operational principle of the seat and the tray are still the same.

There have recently been proposed forms of high chairs for infants where the seat and back can recline as an entity the angle between the back and the seat remaining constant throughout. This is to enable the infant to be in a more reclined position if they happen to fall asleep when in the high chair. However, it has been found that quite often moving the back and seat assembly to the new position will cause a sufficient disturbance to the infant to wake it. It is also a complex and relatively expensive mechanism and therefore adds significantly to the cost of a high chair.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a high chair for infants wherein the back of the chair can be adjusted in angle relative to the seat in a relatively simple and easy manner.

Brief Description of the Invention The present invention therefore provides a recline mechanism for a chair (as hereinbefore defined), the chair including a seat mounted to a support structure, the support structure having an upper end; there also being included a frame member extending from the support structure adjacent the seat to a location intermediate the seat and the upper end, and a back having a lower end mounted for pivotal movement of the back relative to said seat and said support structure; there being provided a link pivotally attached to said frame intermediate the length of the frame, the link having an elongate slot therein in which is engaged a pivoting member attached to the back intermediate its height to enable the back to pivot from a first position to at least one reclined position.

Preferably, there is a frame member on each side of the chair. More preferably, there is provided a link on each side of the chair.

Advantageously, the pivoting member is in the form of a pin extending transversely from OQO a side of the back. Advantageously, there is a pin on each of the sides of the back.

More advantageously, there is provided a retaining means extending across a rear surface 6.00..

S° of the back from a link on one side of the back to the link on the other side of the back.

More advantageously, the elongate slot has at least one indent therein corresponding to at least one of the normal position and/or at least one reclined position. More advantageously, there are a plurality of reclined positions each having a corresponding indent.

oPreferably, these one arm rests attached to the support structure at or about the location.

Brief Description of the Drawings S 20 In order that the present invention may be fully understood there shall now be described by way of non-limitative example only a preferred construction of an infant's high chair C4 incorporating the principal features of the present invention, the description being by way of non-limitative example only and with reference to the accompanying illustrative A drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an infant's high chair incorporating the% principal features of the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the link member of the embodiment of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a side view of a push chair incorporating the principal features of the present invention.

4 Description of Preferred Embodiments To refer to Figure 1, there is shown an infant's high chair which has a leg support structure generally designated as 10 and which includes a front leg 12 and a rear leg 14.

Each leg 12, 14 has an upper end 16 to which is attached an arm rest 18, there being an arm rest 18 on either side of the infant's high chair. A tray 20 is provided in the normal manner of such high chairs.

A seat 22 is provided and which is mounted on a seat support 24 which is secured to the legs 12, 14. This may be by use of pins 27, gluing, welding, or any other suitable means.

A seat leg support 26 is also provided which is secured to rear leg 14 by pins 28, welding, gluing or the like. Seat leg support 26 is also attached to seat support 24. Extending from the upper end 30 of seat leg support 26 to the rear 32 of arm rest 18 is a frame member 34. Frame member 18 is pivotally attached to rear end 32 of arm rest 18, and upper end 30 of seat leg support 26. There is preferably provided a frame member 34 on either side of the high chair. The attachment of the frame member 34 at each end thereof may be by pins 36 to enable pivotal movement. However, other attachment mechanisms such as nuts and bolts, screws, or the like may be used.

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5* 0 Intermediate the length of frame member 34 is a link 38, shown in more detail in Figure 2.

The link 38 is of somewhat planar construction and has a hole 40 so that link 38 can be i 20 attached to frame member 34 by means of a pin, rivet, bolt, screw 42 or the like passing through hole 40. In this way the link 38 is pivotally attached to frame member 34.

c4Link 38 has an elongate slot 44 which, at one end, has an indentation 46. Located in slot S44 and extending transversely outwardly from the side 48 of back 50 of the high chair is a c pivoting member 52. Pivoting member 52 is adapted to be able to slide within slot 44. It is also adapted to locate in indentation 46. Pivoting member 52 has a somewhat enlarged head so that, once located in slot 44, it cannot readily become disengaged therefrom.

A support member 54 passes from the link member 38 on one side of back 50 to the link member 38 on the other side of back 50. This passes along the rear surface 56 of back and is intended to support the back 50, and to act as a handle/operating member.

In use, with the arrangement as shown, the pivot member 52 locates in indentation 46 when the back 50 is in the normal or more upright position shown in Figure 1. The slot D\98324023.2 44 is then generally aligned with frame member 34. The support member 54 will also act to hold the back 50 in position. By being located in indentation 46, pivot pin 52 and support member 54 holds the back 50 in the position shown.

However, upon the support member 54 being moved to the more horizontal position shown in Figure 1, the link member 38 will pivot about pin 42 such that pivoting member 52 moves out of indentation 46. The pivoting member 52 can then slide along slot 44 until it reaches the end remote from indentation 46. In this position, the back 50 is in the reclined position shown in relief in Figure 1. At this time the support member 54 may also support the back 50, and the back 50 is restrained from further rearward movement by virtue of the pivoting member 52 reaching the end of slot 44.

To raise the back 50 to the more normal position merely requires a reversal of this procedure.

**see: Naturally, there may be a number of indentations 46 along slot 44 to provide for a number of intermediate positions for the back An advantage of the construction described above is that the mechanism by which the back 50 is reclined does not interfere with the normal operation of the high chair, including the folding of the high chair.

:To refer now to Figure 3, where identical components have identical numbers with a prefix number 2, there is shown a push chair which has a leg support structure generally S 20 designated as 210 and which includes a front leg 212 and a rear leg 214. Each leg 212, S214 has an upper end 216 to which is attached an arm rest 218, there being an arm rest c 218 on either side of the push chair. Wheels 211 are provided at the lower ends 213, 215 of legs 212, 214 respectively. A handle 258 is used to push or pull the push chair.

A seat 222 is provided and which is mounted on a seat support 224 which'is secured to the legs 212, 214. This may be by use of pins 226, gluing, welding, or any other suitable means.

A seat leg support 228 is also provided which is secured to rear leg 214 by pins 228, welding, gluing or the like. Seat leg support 226 is also attached to seat support 224.

Extending from the upper end 230 of seat leg support 226 to the rear 232 of arm rest 218 is a frame member 234. Frame member 218 is pivotally attached to rear end 232 of arm rest 218, and upper end 230 of seat leg support 226. There is preferably provided a frame member 234 on either side of the chair. The attachment of the frame member 234 at each end thereof may be by pins 236 to enable pivotal movement. However, other attachment mechanisms such as nuts and bolts, screws, or the like may be used.

Intermediate the length of frame member 234 is a link 238, shown in more detail in Figure 2 and described earlier.

A support member 254 passes from the link member 238 on one side of back 250 to the link member 238 on the other side of back 250. This passes along the rear surface 256 of back 250 and is intended to support the back 250, and to act as a handle/operating member.

S to In use, with the arrangement as shown, the pivot member 252 locates in the indentation oo o in slot 244 when the back 250 is in the normal or more upright position shown in Figure 3. The slot 244 is then generally aligned with frame member 234. The support member 254 will also act to hold the back 250 in position. By being located in the indentation, S pivot pin 252 and support member 254 tend to hold the back 250 in the position shown.

However, upon the support member 254 being moved to the more horizontal position shown in Figure 3, the link member 238 will pivot about pin 242 such that pivoting member 252 moves out of the indentation. The pivoting member 252 can then slide along slot 244 until it reaches the end remote from the indentation. In this position, the back 250 is in the reclined position shown in relief in Figure 3. At this time the support member 254 may also support the back 250, and the back 250 is restrained from further rearward movement by virtue of the pivoting member 252 reaching the end of slot 244.

d To raise the back 250 to the more normal position merely requires a reversal of this procedure.

Naturally, there may be a number of indentations along slot 244 to provide for a number of intermediate positions for the back 250.

An advantage of the construction described above is that the mechanism by which the back 250 is reclined does not interfere with the normal operation of the push chair, including the folding of the push chair.

If the construction of the chain is such that arm rests 20,220 were not required, the frame member 34,234 may need to be modified as a suitable support bracket (not shown) would be required to fulfil the function of supporting the back 50,250.

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7 Whilst there has been described in the foregoing description a preferred construction of an infant's high chair in accordance with the principal features of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the technology concerned that many variations or modifications and details of design or construction may be made without departing from the essential features of the present invention.

It will also be understood that where the term "comprises" or its grammatical variants, is employed herein, it is equivalent to the term "includes" and is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other elements or features.

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Claims

1. A recline mechanism for a chair (as hereinbefore defined), the chair including a seat mounted to a support structure, the support structure having an upper end; there also being included a frame member extending from the support structure adjacent the seat to a location intermediate the seat and the upper end, and a back having a lower end mounted for pivotal movement of the back relative to said seat and said support structure; there being provided a link pivotally attached to said frame intermediate the length of the frame, the link having an elongate slot therein in which is engaged a pivoting member attached to the back intermediate its height to enable the back to pivot from a first position to at least one reclined position. 0006

2. A recline mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a frame member on ooOQ° each side of the chair. r•°

3. A recline mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the pivoting member is in the form of a pin extending transversely from a side of the back.

4. A recline mechanism as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein there is a link on each side of the chair. *9.

5. A recline mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein there is a pin on each of the sides of the back.

6. A recline mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein there is a retaining means extending across a rear surface of the back from the link on one side of the back to the link on the other side of the back.

7. A recline mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the elongate slot has at least one indent therein corresponding to at least one of the normal position and/or at least one reclined position.

8. A recline mechanism as claimed in claim 7, wherein there are a plurality of reclined positions.

9. A recline mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein there are arm rests attached to the support structure at or about the location. A recline mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. GC (Australia) Pty Ltd by their Registered Patent Attorneys FREEHILLS PATENT ATTORNEYS 1 eebr19 15 December 1998 *aaa S a S a. S eC... a Oa a a.. a. eC S C OS S S. a S C* *0*5 0e *5 0 Seas S a It S S .OOU,. S ci