Reclining chairs

Abstract

A reclining chair is described that includes a backrest, a seat, and a frame. The backrest and the seat are attached to the frame. The backrest pivotally couples to the frame about a fixed axis. The seat slidingly couples to the frame about a seat axis. The backrest and the seat rotatably couple to one another about a floating axis. The reclining chair is moveable between an upright position and a fully reclined position.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A reclining chair comprising:
 a backrest having a top rail, a bottom rail, and a pair of backrest side rails extending between the top rail and the bottom rail, the backrest including a pivot pin extending outward from each of the backrest side rails;   a seat having a front rail, a rear rail, and a pair of seat side rails extending between the front rail and the rear rail, the seat including a slide extending outward from each of the seat side rails, the rear rail of the seat rotatably coupled to the bottom rail of the backrest to define a floating axis between the seat and the backrest; and   a frame having a pair of opposing panels, each of the panels defining a track, each slide of the seat slidingly received in a respective track of the frame, each pivot pin of the backrest pivotally coupled to a respective panel of the frame to define a fixed axis between the backrest and the frame, the fixed axis fixed relative to the frame and the floating axis moveable relative to the frame.   
     
     
         2 . The reclining chair according to  claim 1 , wherein the seat and the backrest are rotatable relative to one another about the floating axis in a single degree of freedom. 
     
     
         3 . The reclining chair according to  claim 1 , wherein the slides extending from each of the seat side rails forms a single pair of slides, the seat coupled to the frame by the single pair of slides, the seat moveable relative to the frame in two degrees of freedom. 
     
     
         4 . The reclining chair according to  claim 1 , wherein the floating axis moves in an arc relative to the frame as the backrest pivots about the fixed axis between an upright position and a fully reclined position, the arc centered about the fixed axis. 
     
     
         5 . The reclining chair according to  claim 1 , wherein the track guides the seat forward and upward as the floating axis moves forward. 
     
     
         6 . The reclining chair according to  claim 1 , wherein the track is an arcuate track. 
     
     
         7 . The reclining chair according to  claim 1 , wherein the reclining chair further comprises a base and a chassis, the chassis attached to each panel of the pair of panels of the frame, and the base attached to the chassis. 
     
     
         8 . The reclining chair according to  claim 7 , wherein the base defines a swivel axis and the chassis is configured to attach the frame to the base such that the frame can rotate about the swivel axis. 
     
     
         9 . A reclining chair having an upright position and a fully reclined position, the reclining chair comprising:
 a frame;   a backrest pivotally coupled to the frame about a fixed axis; and   a seat slidingly coupled to the frame, the seat and the backrest rotatably coupled together about a floating axis, the backrest urges the seat forward and upwards relative to the frame as the reclining chair moves from the upright position to the fully reclined position.   
     
     
         10 . The reclining chair according to  claim 9 , wherein the backrest moves relative to the frame in a single degree of freedom. 
     
     
         11 . The reclining chair according to  claim 9 , wherein the fixed axis is fixed relative to the frame and the floating axis is moveable relative to the frame. 
     
     
         12 . The reclining chair according to  claim 9 , wherein the seat moves relative to the frame in two degrees of freedom. 
     
     
         13 . The reclining chair according to  claim 12 , wherein the seat defines a seat axis such that moving the reclining chair from the upright position to the fully reclined position translates the seat axis relative to the frame and revolves the seat about the seat axis. 
     
     
         14 . The reclining chair according to  claim 13 , wherein the frame defines a track having a first end and a second end, the track configured to limit the movement of the reclining chair between the upright position and the fully reclined position. 
     
     
         15 . The reclining chair according to  claim 14 , wherein when the reclining chair is in the upright position, the seat axis is within the track and adjacent to the first end of the track, and when the reclining chair is in the fully reclined position, the seat axis is within the track and adjacent to the second end of the track. 
     
     
         16 . The reclining chair according to  claim 14 , wherein the track is configured to guide the seat forward and upward as the reclining chair moves from the upright position to the fully reclined position. 
     
     
         17 . The reclining chair according to  claim 14 , wherein the track is an arcuate track. 
     
     
         18 . A reclining chair having an upright position and a fully reclined position, the reclining chair comprising:
 a backrest having a top rail, a bottom rail, and a pair of backrest side rails extending between the top rail and the bottom rail, the backrest including a pivot pin extending outward from each of the backrest side rails;   a seat having a front rail, a rear rail, and a pair of seat side rails extending between the front rail and the rear rail, the seat including a slide extending outward from each of the seat side rails, the rear rail of the seat rotatably coupled to the bottom rail of the backrest to define a floating axis between the seat and the backrest; and   a frame having a pair of opposing panels, each of the panels defining a track, each slide of the seat slidingly received in a respective track of the frame, each pivot pin of the backrest pivotally coupled to a respective panel of the frame to define a fixed axis between the backrest and the frame, the fixed axis fixed relative to the frame and the floating axis moveable relative to the frame, the backrest urges the seat forward and upward relative to the frame as the reclining chair moves from the upright position to the fully reclined position.   
     
     
         19 . The reclining chair according to  claim 18 , wherein the backrest couples to the frame only by the pivot pins extending therefrom, and the seat couples to the frame only by the slides extending therefrom. 
     
     
         20 . The reclining chair according to  claim 18 , wherein the backrest moves relative to the frame with a single degree of freedom, and the seat moves relative to the frame with two degrees of freedom.