Patents by Inventor Gerald G. Stotz

Gerald G. Stotz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10820708
    Abstract: A furniture member includes a base frame and a seat assembly supported by the base frame. The seat assembly 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 furniture member further includes a legrest mechanism attached to the legrest and the seat frame and driven by a drive rod configured to move the legrest between the retracted and extended positions in response to rotation of the drive rod. A wall-proximity mechanism is configured to translate the seat frame forward relative to the base frame. A trigger release mechanism is operable between a locked position in which a trigger limits rotation of the drive rod and a released position in which the trigger permits rotation of the drive rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LaPointe, Chad E. Adams, Gerald G. Stotz
  • Patent number: 10561244
    Abstract: A furniture member may include a base assembly, a seat assembly, a tilt mechanism, and a recliner actuator. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom, a seatback, and a seat base frame. The seat base frame includes armrest members. The tilt mechanism includes a tilt actuator attached to the base assembly and a plurality of links. The tilt mechanism moves the seat bottom, seatback and seat base frame relative to the base assembly between upright and rearward tilt positions. The recline actuator is mounted to the seat base frame and the seat bottom and moves the seat bottom relative to the armrest members between forward and rearward positions. Movement of the seat bottom between the forward and rearward positions causes movement of the seatback relative to the seat bottom between reclined and non-reclined positions. The recline actuator and the tilt actuator are operable independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. Lapointe, Chad E. Adams, Gerald G. Stotz
  • Patent number: 10537177
    Abstract: A furniture member may include a seat base frame, a seat bottom, and a seatback. The seat bottom may be attached to the seat base frame. The seatback may be attached to the seat base frame and may include a seatback frame and a seat-depth-adjustment mechanism. The seat-depth-adjustment mechanism may include a backrest support member and a seat-depth-adjustment actuator. The seat-depth-adjustment actuator may be mounted to the seatback frame and may be drivingly coupled to the backrest support member to move the backrest support member relative to the seatback frame and the seat bottom between a retracted position and an extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. Lapointe, Chad E. Adams, Gerald G. Stotz
  • Patent number: 10524574
    Abstract: A furniture member includes a base frame, a seat assembly, a motor assembly, 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 seat back and a legrest. The legrest is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The seat back is movable between an upright position and a reclined position. The motor assembly includes a draw bar that moves along a motor extrusion housing from an initial position to a first position and to a second position. The legrest mechanism is driven by the draw bar to move the legrest between the retracted and extended positions. The wall-proximity mechanism is driven by the draw bar to translate the seat frame forward relative to the base frame in response to movement of the draw bar from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LaPointe, Chad E. Adams, Gerald G. Stotz
  • Patent number: 10492613
    Abstract: A furniture member may include a seat assembly and a legrest assembly. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom and a seatback. The legrest assembly may include a legrest platform and articulating arm assemblies. Each articulating arm assembly may include first and second link-housings and first and second control links. The first link-housings may be rotatably attached to the seat bottom. The second link-housings may be rotatably attached to respective first link-housings and the legrest platform. The first control links may be disposed within respective first link-housings. Rotation of the first link-housings relative to the seat bottom may cause relative movement between the first control links and the first link-housings and relative movement between the first control links and the second link-housings. The second control links may be disposed at least partially within respective second link-housings and may be movably coupled to the second link-housings and to the legrest platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LaPointe, Chad E. Adams, Gerald G. Stotz
  • Publication number: 20190350362
    Abstract: A furniture member includes a base frame, a seat assembly, a motor assembly, 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 seat back and a legrest. The legrest is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The seat back is movable between an upright position and a reclined position. The motor assembly includes a draw bar that moves along a motor extrusion housing from an initial position to a first position and to a second position. The legrest mechanism is driven by the draw bar to move the legrest between the retracted and extended positions. The wall-proximity mechanism is driven by the draw bar to translate the seat frame forward relative to the base frame in response to movement of the draw bar from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LAPOINTE, Chad E. Adams, Gerald G. Stotz
  • Publication number: 20190350368
    Abstract: A furniture member includes a base frame and a seat assembly supported by the base frame. The seat assembly 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 furniture member further includes a legrest mechanism attached to the legrest and the seat frame and driven by a drive rod configured to move the legrest between the retracted and extended positions in response to rotation of the drive rod. A wall-proximity mechanism is configured to translate the seat frame forward relative to the base frame. A trigger release mechanism is operable between a locked position in which a trigger limits rotation of the drive rod and a released position in which the trigger permits rotation of the drive rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LAPOINTE, Chad E. Adams, Gerald G. Stotz
  • Patent number: 10285502
    Abstract: A furniture member may include a base assembly and a seat assembly. The base assembly may include a base structure, a post, a support frame, and a height-adjustment mechanism. The post extends vertically upward from the base structure. The support frame may include a cross member and a sleeve. The sleeve may slidably and rotatably receive the post for vertical movement of the support frame relative to the base structure along a longitudinal axis of the post and for rotational movement relative to the base structure about the longitudinal axis. The height-adjustment mechanism may include a height-adjustment actuator configured to move the support frame vertically along the longitudinal axis. The cross member of the support frame may include a pair of rocker springs mounted thereon. The seat assembly may be mounted on the rocker springs and may include a seat bottom, a seatback, and armrest members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. Lapointe, Chad E. Adams, Gerald G. Stotz
  • Publication number: 20190082849
    Abstract: A furniture member may include a seat assembly and a legrest assembly. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom and a seatback. The legrest assembly may include a legrest platform and articulating arm assemblies. Each articulating arm assembly may include first and second link-housings and first and second control links. The first link-housings may be rotatably attached to the seat bottom. The second link-housings may be rotatably attached to respective first link-housings and the legrest platform. The first control links may be disposed within respective first link-housings. Rotation of the first link-housings relative to the seat bottom may cause relative movement between the first control links and the first link-housings and relative movement between the first control links and the second link-housings. The second control links may be disposed at least partially within respective second link-housings and may be movably coupled to the second link-housings and to the legrest platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LAPOINTE, Chad E. ADAMS, Gerald G. STOTZ
  • Publication number: 20190082842
    Abstract: A furniture member may include a base assembly and a seat assembly. The base assembly may include a base structure, a post, a support frame, and a height-adjustment mechanism. The post extends vertically upward from the base structure. The support frame may include a cross member and a sleeve. The sleeve may slidably and rotatably receive the post for vertical movement of the support frame relative to the base structure along a longitudinal axis of the post and for rotational movement relative to the base structure about the longitudinal axis. The height-adjustment mechanism may include a height-adjustment actuator configured to move the support frame vertically along the longitudinal axis. The cross member of the support frame may include a pair of rocker springs mounted thereon. The seat assembly may be mounted on the rocker springs and may include a seat bottom, a seatback, and armrest members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LAPOINTE, Chad E. ADAMS, Gerald G. STOTZ
  • Publication number: 20190082841
    Abstract: A furniture member may include a base assembly, a seat assembly, a tilt mechanism, and a recliner actuator. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom, a seatback, and a seat base frame. The seat base frame includes armrest members. The tilt mechanism includes a tilt actuator attached to the base assembly and a plurality of links. The tilt mechanism moves the seat bottom, seatback and seat base frame relative to the base assembly between upright and rearward tilt positions. The recline actuator is mounted to the seat base frame and the seat bottom and moves the seat bottom relative to the armrest members between forward and rearward positions. Movement of the seat bottom between the forward and rearward positions causes movement of the seatback relative to the seat bottom between reclined and non-reclined positions. The recline actuator and the tilt actuator are operable independently of each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LAPOINTE, Chad E. ADAMS, Gerald G. STOTZ
  • Publication number: 20190082843
    Abstract: A furniture member may include a seat base frame, a seat bottom, and a seatback. The seat bottom may be attached to the seat base frame. The seatback may be attached to the seat base frame and may include a seatback frame and a seat-depth-adjustment mechanism. The seat-depth-adjustment mechanism may include a backrest support member and a seat-depth- adjustment actuator. The seat-depth-adjustment actuator may be mounted to the seatback frame and may be drivingly coupled to the backrest support member to move the backrest support member relative to the seatback frame and the seat bottom between a retracted position and an extended position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LAPOINTE, Chad E. ADAMS, Gerald G. STOTZ
  • Patent number: 7585018
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
    Inventors: Larry P. LaPointe, Richard E. Marshall, Brian C. Fredricks, David Collins, Richard D. Hartford, Gerald G. Stotz, Michael Gaines