Pivotally Connected To Bottom Or Support Frame Patents (Class 297/271.4)
  • Patent number: 8956313
    Abstract: This application is related to an apparatus and method for improving venous blood flow in mobility-impaired patients. In one aspect, the apparatus is a motorized or powered rocking chair with a footplate. The rocking chair and footplate rotate through physiologically relevant ranges of motion either at the same frequency or at different frequencies in order to mechanically induce a calf muscle pump action in the dependent legs of a mobility-impaired patient. Artificially inducing the calf muscle pump action in such patients acts to boost the action of the heart and lessen blood pooling in the lower extremities of the legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Inventor: Amy Bryant
  • Patent number: 8857907
    Abstract: A massage machine that can stably rock a chair main body in a forward-backward direction and that has minimal overall height comprising a chair main body, a base which supports the chair main body, massage portions provided in the chair main body, and a rocking mechanism portion which rocks the chair main body in the forward-backward direction with respect to the base. The rocking mechanism portion includes link members, each of which has a lower portion pivotally supported by the base and an upper portion pivotally supporting the chair main body. The chair main body is rocked in the forward-backward direction by rocking the upper portions of the link members in the forward-backward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Family Inada Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoki Nagamitsu
  • Patent number: 8616627
    Abstract: A gliding-reclining seating unit includes: a base configured to rest on an underlying surface; an arm frame; a gliding mechanism attached to the base and to the arm frame, the gliding mechanism configured to enable the arm frame to reciprocate in a longitudinal direction relative to the base; a generally horizontally-disposed seat; a generally upright backrest positioned rearwardly of the seat; a footrest unit; and a reclining mechanism that interconnects and controls movement of the seat and the backrest relative to the frame between an upright position and a reclined position. In the upright position, the backrest is generally upright and positioned above the frame, and the seat has a first rearward position relative to the frame. In the reclined position, the backrest is reclined relative to the underlying surface as compared to its disposition in the upright position and the seat has a second forward position relative to the frame that is forward of the first rearward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus L. Murphy, D. Stephen Hoffman
  • Patent number: 7552970
    Abstract: A furniture mechanism includes first and second side plates. First and second support members are rotatably pinned to the side plates. First and second pantograph linkage sets are each linked to one of the side plates and each extend from a stowed position to a fully extended position and support a user leg rest. A base frame includes first and second side channels. A U-shaped leaf spring interconnected to the first and second side channels and connected to the support members permits co-rotation of at least the connection plates, the pantograph linkage sets, and the support members with respect to the base frame. First and second tilt cams are rotatably fastened to the support members. The tilt cams each include multiple cam faces which define a plurality of temporary detent positions of the mechanism by contact of individual cam faces with the side channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventor: Larry P. LaPointe
  • Patent number: 7455359
    Abstract: A rocking chair (1) comprising a frame (3) and a seat (2) which is swingable relative to the frame (3). The rocking chair (1) is characterised by a leg (4) and a swing mechanism (5). The leg (4) comprises a first upper (14) and a second lower end (15). The first end (14) is articulated to the seat (2) and the second end (15) is articulated to the frame (3). The swing mechanism (5) comprises a swinging arm (21) which has its pivot (22) arranged in the frame (3). The free end (23) of the swinging arm (21) is articulated to the seat (2) in such a manner that the free end (23) of the swinging arm (21) is arranged below the pivot (22) of the swinging arm (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Inventor: Lennart Rönning
  • Patent number: 7156456
    Abstract: A foldable chair has a supporting shaft assembly, a frame assembly, a connecting shaft assembly and a cushion mounted on the frame. The supporting shaft assembly has two parallel rockers connected by multiple transverse shafts and four curved shafts rotatably mounted respectively on ends of the rockers. Thus, the foldable chair can be used as a general chair or a rocking chair. A frame assembly has two seat bars, a backrest bar pivotally mounted on the seat bars, a foot bar and two armrests pivotally mounted on the foot bars. The connecting shaft assembly has two rear shafts and two front shafts all connected with the seat bars and the rockers and further has two positioning boards mounted on the rockers and each positioning board has detents. The rotatable curved shafts on the rockers allow the foldable chair to be used as a general chair or a rocking chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Inventor: Chih-Liang Chen
  • Patent number: 6918632
    Abstract: In preferred embodiments of the invention, rocker cams are positioned intermediate an upper plate assembly and a lower base with a plurality of biasing springs under tension extending between the upper plate assembly and the lower base. Spring retention means are incorporated into the lower base and upper plate assembly providing for direct attachment of the biasing springs thereto obviating the need for spring mechanisms and threaded fasteners for connecting the spring mechanism to the upper plate and lower base. The base comprising a lower support plate configured as a gusseted tray connects to a pair of floor contacting side rails. The upper plate assembly, also preferably configured as a gusseted tray, is fixed to the pair of rocker cams rockingly engaged on the side rails. Vertical flanges are provided on the sides of the upper plate assembly for attaching the reclining mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory J. Maki, Michael J. Dotta
  • Patent number: 6676206
    Abstract: A rocking, reclining, foldable chair is disclosed. The invention comprises a curved rocker or rockers having a limiting extension; a leg or legs pivotally attached to said rocker; a seat pivotally attached to said leg or legs; a releasable support pivotally attached to any two of the aforesaid parts to prevent said chair from folding unexpectedly; a back pivotally attached to said seat or leg or legs; a pair of arms movably connected to said back; and a leg rest pivotally attached to said seat and said arms, said leg rest being movable between a rocking and a reclining position; and moving means for moving said leg rest, said back and said seat between said rocking and said reclining position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Inventor: Daniel B. Brandschain