Motorized swivel recliner

Abstract

A reclining chair system that features a recliner motion mechanism used for positioning a reclining unit that includes a seat and a seat back having a fixed positional relationship to each other, including a gear rack adapted to receive a gear that travels in engagement with the gear rack, a gear shaft attached to the gear and driven by a drive motor for rotating the gear and causing it to move along the gear rack, a connection between the drive motor and seat that causes the seat back to move, as the gear travels along the gear rack, at least at the seat back's lower edge, and generally in the direction of the gear rack, and a fixed position curved track, adapted to be engaged by a follower, the follower being connected to the seat back at a position for causing a rotational movement of the seat back relative to a rotational axis of the gear, to guide the seat back during movement of the gear along the gear rack.

1 . A recliner motion mechanism used for positioning a recliner that includes a seat and a seat back having a fixed positional relationship to each other, comprising: 
 a gear rack adapted to receive a gear that travels in engagement with the gear rack;    a gear shaft attached to the gear and driven by a drive motor for rotating the gear and causing it to move along the gear rack;    a connection between the drive motor and the seat that causes the seat back to move, as the gear travels along the gear rack, at least at the seat back's lower edge, and generally in the direction of the gear rack; and    a fixed position curved track, adapted to be engaged by a follower, the follower being connected to the seat back at a position for causing a rotational movement of the seat back relative to a rotational axis of the gear, to guide the seat back during movement of the gear along the gear rack.    
   
   
       2 . The recliner motion mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the gear rack and the curved track are adapted to move the seat and seat back into a zero gravity position.  
   
   
       3 . The recliner motion mechanism according to  claim 2 , wherein said gear is positioned by the motor at a greater distance from a recliner base when the seat back is in a generally reclined position than when the seat back is in a generally upright position.  
   
   
       4 . The recliner motion mechanism according to  claim 3 , wherein said drive motor is powered by a battery.  
   
   
       5 . A reclining chair, comprising: 
 a base unit that supports a seat, wherein the base unit does not recline, the seat has a center of gravity, and the seat is operatively connected to a back support member and a leg support member, wherein the seat, back support member, and leg support member have a fixed relative position orientation to each other and can be reclined as a reclining unit from a generally upright sitting position to a reclined position;    a motive drive including a motor that operates to move the center of gravity of the seat forward when shifting the unit to the reclined position; and    a fixed position curved track, adapted to be engaged by a follower, the follower being connected to the back support member to guide the back support member down during forward movement of the center of gravity of the seat.    
   
   
       6 . The reclining chair according to  claim 5 , wherein the motive drive and the curved track are adapted such that the reclined position is a zero gravity position.  
   
   
       7 . The reclining chair according to  claim 6 , wherein the motor is positioned at a higher altitude level when the unit is in the reclined position than when the unit is in the generally upright sitting position.  
   
   
       8 . The reclining chair according to  claim 7 , wherein the base unit includes a swivel mechanism and the reclining unit can pivot at least partially around a vertical axis.  
   
   
       9 . The reclining chair according to  claim 8  where in the reclining unit can pivot 360°.  
   
   
       10 . The reclining chair according to  claim 8 , wherein said motive drive is powered by a battery.  
   
   
       11 . The reclining chair according to  claim 5  where the back support member, in the upright position, is inclined slightly in a forward direction.  
   
   
       12 . A reclining chair, comprising: 
 a base unit that supports a seat, and the seat is operatively connected to a back support member and a leg support member, wherein the seat, back support member, and leg support member have a fixed relative position orientation to each other and can be reclined as a reclining unit from a generally upright sitting position to a reclined position;    a motive drive element that operates to move the reclining unit from the generally upright sitting position to the reclined position; and    a fixed track guide element, the motive drive element and the fixed track guide element adapted to permit a rotation of the reclining unit with a simultaneous forward translation of the reclining unit when the reclining unit is moving from the generally upright sitting position to the reclined position.    
   
   
       13 . The reclining chair according to  claim 12 , wherein the base unit is adapted to permit the unit to pivot at least 360° around a vertical axis.  
   
   
       14 . The reclining chair of  claim 12  wherein the fixed track is a straight track.