The present invention relates to an adjustable chair having adjustable support sections which can be moved to adjust the configuration of the chair between a seating position and a sleeping position, and in particular, to an adjustable chair which can be incorporated into a sofa assembly.

Known sofa assemblies typically comprise a generally upright back support and a fixed seat support for supporting an occupant in a seating position. More recently, sofa assemblies incorporate an inclined seat support to improve the comfort of the occupant.

There is an increasing demand for sofa assemblies with increased functionality, for example, sofa assemblies which include a chair which can be converted into a bed. One problem associated with converting a chair to a bed in known sofa assemblies is the requirement that the chair needs to exhibit zero wall functionality, that is, the chair can be positioned close to a wall and reclined without clashing with the wall.

A further problem with incorporating chairs into such sofa assemblies with inclined seat supports is that the seat section of known zero wall clearance adjustable chairs is substantially horizontal, so a gap would be created between the two seat supports.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an adjustable reclining chair which can be converted to a bed with improved comfort, aesthetics, and functionality, in addition to being compatible with known sofa assemblies.

Thus, according to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an adjustable reclining chair having zero wall clearance comprising a frame and an adjustable support platform having a plurality of articulated support sections pivotally mounted with respect to one another for relative angular adjustment, and actuator means for effecting co-ordinated movement of said support sections to reconfigure the chair between a seated position and a sleeping position in which the articulated supporting sections are substantially horizontal, wherein one of the plurality of articulated support sections is a seat support which is inclined relative to the horizontal when the chair is in the seated position and substantially horizontal when the chair is in the sleeping position, another of the plurality of articulated support sections is a back support pivotally mounted with respect to the seat support, wherein the back support is substantially upright when the chair is in the seated position and substantially horizontal when the chair is in the sleeping position.

Providing a chair with an inclined seat support allows the chair to be incorporated into a sofa assembly which includes a seat section which also has an inclined seat support, thereby providing a continual surface between the seat support of the chair and the seat support of the seat section of the sofa assembly without any gaps. The chair can also be converted to a bed by being adjusted between seating and sleeping positions to incorporate that functionality into a sofa assembly.

The movement of the back support follows a zero wall clearance path throughout its range of movement, that is to say a constant gap is maintained between its rearward edge and a surrounding structure, for example an adjacent wall against which either the chair alone, or the chair as part of a sofa assembly is positioned, when the back support moves rearwards or forwards with respect to the frame during adjustment of the chair.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of an adjustable chair according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the chair in a seating position for supporting an occupant;

Figure 2 is a side perspective view from underneath the adjustable chair of Figure 1 with the chair in a seating position; Figure 3 is a side perspective view from underneath the adjustable chair of Figure 1 with the chair in a seating position;

Figure 4 is a side view of the adjustable chair of Figure 1 with the chair in an intermediate reclined seating position; Figure 5 is a side perspective view from underneath the adjustable chair of Figure 1 with the chair in an intermediate reclined seating position; Figure 6 is a side view of the adjustable chair of Figure 1 with the chair in a sleeping position;

Figure 7 is a side perspective view from underneath the adjustable chair of Figure 1 with the chair in a sleeping position;

Figures 8 to 10 are respective side views of the adjustable chair of Figure 1 in the seating, intermediate and sleeping position;

Figures 11 to 13 are respective perspective side views from underneath the adjustable chair of Figure 1 in the seating, intermediate and sleeping position; and

Figure 14 is a side perspective view from underneath the adjustable chair of Figure 1 with the chair in an intermediate reclined seating position. In Figures 1 to 3, the chair 10 comprises a support platform composed of three adjacent support sections, including an adjustable back support section 20 for supporting the upper body at the head end of the chair, an intermediate or seat support section 18, and a lower leg or foot rest support section 22 at the toe end of the chair. The seat support 18 and foot rest support 22 are made of a generally rectangular hollow steel frame.

The back support 20 is typically constructed of wood, MDF or other suitable board material.

The seat support 18, back support 20, and foot rest support 22 are adjustably mounted on a frame in the form of a pair of lateral side panels 12. The frame further comprises a rear panel 13 and a front panel 15. The lateral side panels 12, rear panel 13, and front panel 15 are typically constructed of wood, MDF or other suitable board material. In Figures 1 to 14, only one of the lateral side panels is shown to reveal the detailed construction of the adjustable chair. The seat support 18, back support 20, and foot rest support 22 include upholstered cushions or pads (not shown) or the like for supporting an occupant (not shown) positioned on the chair.

The chair 10 further comprises a pair of connecting stays 24 and a pair of brackets 29 fixed to each side of the back support 20. The brackets 29 have a first portion 30 and a second portion 32. The connecting stay 24 has a first end 23 which is pivotally connected to opposite ends of a cross-member 28 which extends between the lateral side panels 12 at the head end of the chair, and a second end 25. The connecting stays 24 are arranged such that a longitudinal axis L defined in the longitudinal direction of the connecting stay 24 is forwardly inclined towards the foot end of the chair, that is, the first end 23 of the stay 24 is positioned rearward of the second end 25. This inclined positioning of the connecting stay 23 prevents the stay from becoming over-centred relative to the position of an actuator acting on it, ensuring smooth movement of the connecting stay 24 as it moves the chair support sections.

A second cross-member 31 extends between the lateral side panels 12 at the foot end of the chair. The cross-members 28,31 constitute the floor standing part of the chair 10 and in this respect the cross-members may stand directly on the floor or on legs as is well known in the art.

The second end 25 of each connecting stay 24 is pivotally connected to the first portion 30 of each respective bracket 29, with the bracket also fixed via a suitable fixing means to each side of the back support 20 to define a back support pivot point 27.

A cross-member 34 passes through an aperture 36 in the second portion 32 of each bracket and is welded to the first portion 30 of each bracket 29 at a first position (aperture 36). A further cross-member 38 is welded at each end to the second portion 32 of each bracket 29.

In the above embodiments, the cross-members are constructed of suitably dimensioned metal tube, preferably extruded steel tube.

The second portion 32 of each bracket 29 includes a curved section 41 upon which is mounted two back support cam followers in the form of roller bearings 40 (shown more clearly in Figure 3).

The seat support 18 includes a back support cam in the form of a pair of downwardly extended curved profile guides 42 having U-section open channels with their respective open sides facing inwards into an interior region of the chair. Each of the guides 42 allows the roller bearing 40 to move when the back support 20 rotates as will be described below. Each guide 42 is fixed to the seat support 18 via a bracket 44. In an alternative embodiment the roller bearings can be provided on the seat support and the guides on the back support.

The chair 10 comprises a seat support cam in the form of a pair of guides 46 having U-section open channels which are fixed to an inward surface of the lateral side panels 12, and a seat support cam follower in the form of a single roller bearing 48 (shown more clearly in Figure 3) which is mounted on a bracket 49 fixed to and extending downwardly from each side of the seat support 18. Each guide 46 includes a linear horizontal first guide section 50, a second guide section 52 which is upwardly inclined relative to the first guide section 50, and a horizontal third linear guide section 54 which is substantially parallel with the first guide section 50. The first 50 and third guide sections 54 lie in substantially the same vertical plane and parallel to the surface upon which the chair sits, which is typically horizontal. The arrangement of the first 50, second 52 and third 54 guides dictates the movement of the seat support 18 as will be described below.

The chair 10 comprises a foot rest support cam in the form of a pair of horizontal linear guides 56 having U-section open channels which are fixed to an inward surface of the lateral side panels 12 and a foot rest support cam follower in the form of a pair of roller bearings 58 (shown more clearly in Figure 3) which are each mounted on a bracket 59 and fixed to and extending downwardly in the same way as the seat support roller bearings, on each side of the foot rest support 18.

Each guide 56 comprises a U-shaped channel and is substantially horizontal and lying in the same horizonal plane as the third linear guide section 54 of the seat support guides 46. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the foot rest support guide 56 can include a downwardly extending inclined section (second guide section) congruent with the horizontal section (first guide section) such that such that movement of the foot rest support cam follower in the first guide section causes the foot rest support to remain in a horizontal plane, and movement of the foot rest support cam follower in the second guide section causes the foot rest support to pivot downwards relative to the seat support, that is, the foot rest tilts downwards when the chair is in the seating position, but remains horizontal when in the sleeping position.

A pair of hinges 60 pivotally connects the foot rest support 22 and the seat support 18 such that the foot rest support 22 and seat support 18 can pivot relative to each other and enable forward and rearward movement of the seat support 18 under operation of the actuator to be transferred to the foot rest support 22.

Actuator means in the form of an electrical linear actuator 62 for moving the back 20, seat 18, and foot rest 22 supports relative to the lateral side panels 12 is provided underneath those supports. The actuator 62 is of the Delta-drive type produced by Dewert-Okin GmbH, and comprises a reversible motor and gearbox assembly 68, an outer tube 70 and a retractable and extendable rod 72. The actuator 62 has a first gearbox end 64 pivotally connected to a mid-point of the cross-member 31 at the foot end of the chair, and a second end 66 pivotally connected to a mid-point of the cross member 34, both pivot connections being provided by a cross-member clevis bracket and pivot pin. The actuator 62 extends generally parallel to the lateral side panels 12 and is disposed substantially horizontal in the normal operational orientation of the chair.

Operation of the chair 10 by the actuator 62 is as follows: In Figures 1 to 3, the chair 10 is shown in the seating position. In this position, the back support 20 is raised about, and inclined with respect to the side panels 12 about a pivot axis defined by the back support pivot point 27, the seat support 18 is inclined rearwards and downwards relative to a horizontal plane H, and the foot rest support 22 is substantially parallel to that horizontal plane H.

In Figures 4 and 5, the chair 10 is shown in an intermediate position between the seating and sleeping positions. In this position, the back support 20 has pivoted anti- clockwise (when viewing the figures) to adopt a more inclined position relative to a vertical plane V (best seen by comparing Figures 8 and 9), causing the back support 20 and the seat support 18 and foot rest support 22 to move forwards (to the right when viewing Figures 5 and 6 and best seen by comparing Figures 8 and 9). In Figures 6 and 7, the chair 10 is shown in the sleeping position, in this position, the back support 20 has further pivoted anti-clockwise to adopt a flat horizontal position, causing the back support 20 and the seat support 18 and foot rest support 22 to move further forwards, and the seat support 18 to adopt a flat horizontal position horizontally aligned with the back support 20 and the foot rest support 18.

Starting from the seating position (Figures 1 to 3), operation of the actuator 62 causes the extendable rod 72 to retract into the outer tube 70 and cause rotation of the cross member 34. As cross-member 34 rotates, brackets 29 which are fixed to the back support 20, also rotate due to the actuator means being pivotally connected to the first position (aperture 36) of the bracket 29, and the second end 25 of the connecting stay 24 being pivotally connected to a second position of the bracket 29 at pivot point 27 which is spaced from the first position 36. The spacing of the first position 36 and the pivot point 27 causes the bracket 29 to rotate when the actuator means 62 moves, resulting in the roller bearings 40 sliding within the guides 42. At the same time, the connecting stay 24 pivots clockwise about a pivot point defined by first end 23 which is fixed to the lateral side panels 20. The combination of the pivoting connecting stay 24 and movement of the roller bearings 40 within the guides 42 causes the back support 20 to move forwards and downwards as it rotates anticlockwise, which in turn causes the seat support 18 and foot rest support 22 to move forwards towards the sleeping position of Figures 6 and 7.

As the seat support 18 moves forward, the first 50, second 52, and third 54 guide sections of the seat support cam guides 46 dictate the position of the seat support 18. As the rollers 48 move from the first guide section 50 to the inclined second guide section 52, that is towards the intermediate position of Figures 4 and 5, the seat support 18 rotates upwards about hinge 60 to remain in an inclined position, but at a shallower incline when compared to the seating position of Figures 1 to 3. As the rollers 48 move from the inclined second guide section 52 to the third guide section 54, that is towards the sleeping position of Figures 6 and 7, the seat support 18 moves to the horizontal position.

At the same time as the seat support 18 moves as described above, the foot rest support 22 also moves forward by virtue of being connected by hinge 60. The foot rest support 22 remains in a horizontal position by virtue of the provision of the two roller bearings 58 moving in the guides 56.

At the same time as the seat support 18 and foot rest support 22 move as described above, the back support 20 rotates towards a horizontal position as it moves forwards and downwards as the actuator 62 retracts.

It can be seen in Figures 6 and 7 that in the sleeping position, the back support 20, seat support 18, and the foot rest support 22 are all substantially horizontal and aligned in a common plane to provide a substantially flat planar horizontal support platform suitable for sleeping.

Figures 8 to 10 and 1 1 to 13 show a comparison between the seating, intermediate and sleeping position showing the relative positions of the back support 20, seat support 18, and the foot rest support 22.

It will be understood that reversing the directing of the actuator 62 moves the chair from the sleeping position to the seating position. The adjustable reclining chair described above can advantageously be incorporated into a sofa assembly (not shown) which comprises a first chair with a back support section and an inclined seat section, the reclining chair (second chair) being positioned adjacent the first chair to form a two seater (or two chair) sofa assembly. By virtue of the chair of the present invention having an inclined seat support, the chair can be incorporated into the sofa assembly which includes the first chair with a first seat section which also has an inclined seat support, thereby providing a continual seating surface without any gaps. The adjustable reclining chair of the present invention can then be converted to a bed by being adjusted between seating and sleeping positions to incorporate that functionality into a sofa assembly. It will be understood that the sofa assembly need not be limited to two seats.

The movement of the back support follows a zero wall clearance path throughout its range of movement, that is to say a constant gap is maintained between its rearward edge and a surrounding structure, for example an adjacent wall against which either the chair alone, or the chair as part of a sofa assembly is positioned, when the back support moves rearwards or forwards with respect to the frame during adjustment of the chair.