Reclining theater seat on riser structure with integrated reclining seat mechanism

Abstract

A recliner chair includes a mounting bracket configured to mount to a base. A seat portion and a back portion are attached at a frame that is pivotally attached at the mounting bracket. The frame is pivotable relative to the mounting bracket to move the seat portion and the back portion between a non-reclined position and a reclined position. An ottoman is pivotable relative to the base between a lowered position and a raised position. An actuator is operable to pivot the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position and to pivot the frame to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position. The actuator is disposed within a structure at a side of the recliner chair and outboard of the seat portion.

1 . A recliner chair, the recliner chair comprising:
 a seat portion;   a back portion;   an ottoman;   an actuator operable to (i) move the seat portion and the back portion between a non-reclined position and a reclined position and (ii) move the ottoman between a lowered position and a raised position;   wherein the actuator is disposed within a structure outboard of the seat portion; and   wherein, with the recliner chair supported at a base, a region below the seat portion and above a horizontal support surface of the base is devoid of any component of the actuator.   
     
     
         2 . The recliner chair of  claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a casing of an arm rest of the recliner chair. 
     
     
         3 . The recliner chair of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator operates to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position together and in tandem with the actuator operating to move the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position. 
     
     
         4 . The recliner chair of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator operates to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position independent of the actuator operating to move the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position. 
     
     
         5 . The recliner chair of  claim 4 , wherein an initial operation of the actuator moves the ottoman from the lowered position to the raised position and, with the ottoman in the raised position, continued operation of the actuator moves the seat portion and the back portion from the non-reclined position toward the reclined position. 
     
     
         6 . The recliner chair of  claim 4 , wherein an initial operation of the actuator moves the seat portion and the back portion from the non-reclined position to the reclined position and, with the seat portion and the back portion in the reclined position, continued operation of the actuator moves the ottoman from the lowered position toward the raised position. 
     
     
         7 . The recliner chair of  claim 1 , wherein the seat portion and the back portion are attached at a frame, and wherein the ottoman is pivotable relative to the frame between the lowered position and the raised position, and wherein the actuator operates to rotate a drive shaft that extends horizontally between side portions of a forward region of the frame, and wherein rotation of the drive shaft pivots a reclining mechanism to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position and to move the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position. 
     
     
         8 . A recliner chair, the recliner chair comprising:
 a mounting bracket configured to mount to a base;   a seat portion and a back portion attached at a frame that is pivotally attached at the mounting bracket, wherein, with the mounting bracket mounted to the base, the frame is pivotable relative to the mounting bracket to move the seat portion and the back portion between a non-reclined position and a reclined position;   an ottoman, wherein, with the mounting bracket mounted to the base, the ottoman is pivotable relative to the base between (i) a lowered position where the ottoman is disposed along a vertical portion of the base and (ii) a raised position where the ottoman is moved upward and outward from the vertical portion of the base;   an actuator operable to pivot the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position and to pivot the frame to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position; and   wherein the actuator is disposed within a structure at a side of the recliner chair and outboard of the seat portion.   
     
     
         9 . The recliner chair of  claim 8 , wherein the structure at the side of the recliner chair comprises a casing of an arm rest of the recliner chair. 
     
     
         10 . The recliner chair of  claim 8 , wherein a region below the seat portion and above a horizontal support surface of the base is devoid of any component of the actuator. 
     
     
         11 . The recliner chair of  claim 8 , wherein the actuator operates to rotate a drive shaft that extends horizontally between side portions of a forward region of the mounting bracket, and wherein rotation of the drive shaft pivots a reclining mechanism to pivot the ottoman and the frame. 
     
     
         12 . The recliner chair of  claim 11 , wherein the reclining mechanism comprises a pair of links that are fixedly attached at respective end regions of the drive shaft and that pivotally connect to the ottoman. 
     
     
         13 . The recliner chair of  claim 11 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator that, when actuated, moves an end of a pivoting link that is fixedly attached at the drive shaft to impart rotation of the drive shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The recliner chair of  claim 11 , wherein the actuator comprises a rotational driving actuator that, when actuated, rotatably drives the drive shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The recliner chair of  claim 11 , wherein the actuator operates to pivot the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position together and in tandem with the actuator operating to pivot the frame to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position. 
     
     
         16 . The recliner chair of  claim 15 , wherein the reclining mechanism comprises (i) a pair of links that are fixedly attached at respective end regions of the drive shaft and that pivotally connect to a forward portion of the frame and (ii) a scissor linkage fixedly attached at the ottoman and pivotally connected to the forward portion of the frame. 
     
     
         17 . The recliner chair of  claim 16 , wherein, when the actuator is operated to pivot the ottoman from the lowered position to the raised position and to move the seat portion and the back portion from the non-reclined position to the reclined position, rotation of the drive shaft pivots the pair of links and the frame pivots upward from the base, and wherein, as the frame pivots upward, the scissor linkage imparts pivotal movement of the ottoman relative to the frame as the frame pivots. 
     
     
         18 . The recliner chair of  claim 17 , wherein the scissor linkage is constrained relative to the mounting bracket. 
     
     
         19 . The recliner chair of  claim 11 , wherein, when the actuator is operated to pivot the ottoman from the lowered position to the raised position, the ottoman pivots relative to the frame and moves upward and outward from the vertical portion of the base until a portion of an ottoman bracket engages a stop portion of the frame, whereby further operation of the actuator moves the ottoman and the frame together to move the seat portion and the back portion toward the reclined position. 
     
     
         20 . The recliner chair of  claim 11 , wherein, when the actuator is operated to pivot the frame to move the seat portion and the back portion from the non-reclined position to the reclined position, rotation of the drive shaft pivots a pair of pivot links that connect the frame to the drive shaft and the frame pivots upward from the base, and wherein, as the frame pivots upward, a plurality of linkages that connect the ottoman to the frame impart pivotal movement of the ottoman relative to the frame as the frame pivots. 
     
     
         21 . The recliner chair of  claim 8 , wherein the actuator operates to pivot the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position together and in tandem with the actuator operating to pivot the frame to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position. 
     
     
         22 . The recliner chair of  claim 8 , wherein the actuator operates to pivot the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position independent of the actuator operating to pivot the frame to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position. 
     
     
         23 . The recliner chair of  claim 8 , wherein the base comprises a horizontal support surface of a stepped riser structure. 
     
     
         24 . The recliner chair of  claim 8 , wherein, with the seat portion and the back portion in the non-reclined position, the back portion is disposed at a first angle relative to a horizontal portion of the base, and wherein, with the seat portion and the back portion in the reclined position, the back portion is disposed at a second angle relative to the horizontal portion of the base, and wherein the second angle is less than the first angle. 
     
     
         25 . A recliner chair, the recliner chair comprising:
 a mounting bracket configured to mount to a horizontal support surface of a stepped riser structure;   a seat portion and a back portion attached at a frame that is pivotally attached at the mounting bracket, wherein, with the mounting bracket mounted to the horizontal support surface, the frame is pivotable relative to the mounting bracket to move the seat portion and the back portion between a non-reclined position and a reclined position;   an ottoman, wherein, with the mounting bracket mounted to the horizontal support surface, the ottoman is pivotable relative to the stepped riser structure between (i) a lowered position where the ottoman is disposed along a vertical portion of the stepped riser structure and (ii) a raised position where the ottoman is moved upward and outward from the vertical portion of the stepped riser structure;   an actuator operable to pivot the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position and to pivot the frame to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position;   wherein the actuator is disposed within an arm rest at a side of the recliner chair and outboard of the seat portion; and   wherein a region below the seat portion and above the horizontal support surface is devoid of any component of the actuator.   
     
     
         26 . The recliner chair of  claim 25 , wherein the actuator operates to rotate a drive shaft that extends horizontally between side portions of a forward region of the mounting bracket, and wherein rotation of the drive shaft pivots a reclining mechanism to pivot the ottoman and the frame. 
     
     
         27 . The recliner chair of  claim 26 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator that, when actuated, moves an end of a pivoting link that is fixedly attached at the drive shaft to impart rotation of the drive shaft. 
     
     
         28 . The recliner chair of  claim 25 , wherein the actuator operates to pivot the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position together and in tandem with the actuator operating to pivot the frame to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position. 
     
     
         29 . The recliner chair of  claim 25 , wherein the actuator operates to pivot the ottoman between the lowered position and the raised position independent of the actuator operating to pivot the frame to move the seat portion and the back portion between the non-reclined position and the reclined position.