Reclining Chair

Abstract

In the specification and drawings a reclinable chair is described and shown having a recline mechanism pivotally attaching a backrest to a support assembly. The recline mechanism comprises a coupler operatively connected to an elastomeric spring assembly. The elastomeric spring assembly has four elastomeric inserts positioned between a polygon-shaped core and a polygon-shaped exterior housing. The exterior housing is fixed to the backrest, while the core is fixed to the coupler. The exterior housing has an outwardly protruding tooth positioned between the coupler's inwardly protruding preload stop and the coupler's inwardly protruding recline stop such that the primary tooth engages the preload stop when the chair is in a rested state and engages the recline stop when the chair is in a fully reclined state.

1 . A reclinable chair, comprising:
 a. a support assembly;   b. a backrest;   c. a recline mechanism pivotally attaching the backrest to the support assembly, the recline mechanism comprising:
 i. An elastomeric spring assembly comprising at least four elastomeric inserts positioned between a polygon-shaped core and a polygon-shaped exterior housing, the exterior housing comprising an outwardly protruding primary tooth; and 
 ii. A coupler comprising an inwardly protruding preload stop spaced apart from an inwardly protruding recline stop, wherein the coupler is coupled to the elastomeric spring assembly such that the exterior housing's primary tooth is positioned between the preload stop and the recline stop. 
   
     
     
         2 . The reclinable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the support assembly comprises a seat attached to a base. 
     
     
         3 . The chair of  claim 2 , wherein the coupler is attached to the seat. 
     
     
         4 . The chair of  claim 2 , wherein the coupler is attached to the base. 
     
     
         5 . The reclinable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler comprises an arm fixed to a cup, the cup defining a proximate side and a distal side, wherein the arm is attached to the base and the proximate side of the cup is attached to the seat. 
     
     
         6 . The reclinable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the preload stop is spaced apart from the recline stop a sufficient distance to allow for the exterior housing to rotate about the core ±12 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The reclinable chair of  claim 6 , wherein the exterior housing is approximately twenty-five millimeters in length. 
     
     
         8 . The reclinable chair of  claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve for mounting the elastomeric spring assembly to the backrest. 
     
     
         9 . The reclinable chair of  claim 8 , wherein the sleeve comprises an inner periphery and an outer periphery, wherein the outer periphery is attached to the backrest, and wherein the inner periphery comprises a primary notch for mating with the exterior housing's primary tooth. 
     
     
         10 . The reclinable chair of  claim 8 , wherein the exterior housing comprises a plurality of outwardly protruding primary teeth spaced apart from a plurality of outwardly protruding secondary teeth. 
     
     
         11 . The reclinable chair of  claim 10 , wherein the sleeve comprises an inner periphery and an outer periphery, wherein the sleeve's outer periphery is attached to the backrest, and wherein the sleeve's inner periphery comprises a plurality of primary notches for mating with the exterior housing's plurality of outwardly protruding primary teeth, and wherein the sleeve's inner periphery comprises a plurality of secondary notches for mating with the exterior housing's plurality of outwardly protruding secondary teeth. 
     
     
         12 . The reclinable chair of  claim 8 , wherein the backrest comprises a circular casing. 
     
     
         13 . The reclinable chair of  claim 12 , wherein the sleeve comprises an inner periphery and an outer periphery, wherein the outer periphery is mounted within the backrest's circular casing, and wherein the inner periphery comprises a primary notch for mating with the exterior housing's primary tooth. 
     
     
         14 . The reclinable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the backrest further comprises a sleeve having an inner periphery, the inner periphery comprising a primary notch for mating with the exterior housing's primary tooth. 
     
     
         15 . The reclinable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior housing comprises a plurality of outwardly protruding primary teeth spaced apart from a plurality of outwardly protruding secondary teeth. 
     
     
         16 . The reclinable chair of  claim 15 , wherein the backrest further comprises a sleeve having an inner periphery, the inner periphery comprising a plurality of primary notches for mating with the exterior housing's plurality of outwardly protruding primary teeth, and wherein the sleeve's inner periphery comprises a plurality of secondary notches for mating with the exterior housing's plurality of outwardly protruding secondary teeth. 
     
     
         17 . The reclinable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric spring assembly's core further comprises a central bore having one or more slots extending therefrom. 
     
     
         18 . The reclinable chair of  claim 17 , wherein the coupler further comprises a central ring having one or more projections mated to the core's one or more slots to fix the core to the coupler. 
     
     
         19 . A reclinable chair, comprising:
 a. a support assembly;   b. a backrest;   c. a recline mechanism, comprising:
 i. A coupler attached to the support assembly, the coupler defining a cup, the cup comprising an inwardly protruding preload stop spaced apart from an inwardly protruding recline stop; and 
 ii. An elastomeric spring assembly positioned at least partially within the coupler's cup, the elastomeric spring assembly comprising at least four elastomeric inserts positioned between a polygon-shaped core and a polygon-shaped exterior housing, wherein the core is fixed to the coupler and the exterior housing is fixed to the backrest, and wherein the exterior housing comprising an outwardly protruding primary tooth positioned between the preload stop and the recline stop such that the primary tooth engages the preload stop when the chair is in a rested state and engages the recline stop when the chair is in a fully reclined state. 
   
     
     
         20 . A reclinable chair, comprising:
 a. a support assembly;   b. a backrest;   c. a recline mechanism, comprising:
 i. An elastomeric spring assembly comprising at least four elastomeric inserts positioned between a polygon-shaped core and a polygon-shaped exterior housing, the core comprising a central bore having one or more slots extending therefrom, the exterior housing attached to the backrest and comprising an outwardly protruding primary tooth; and 
 ii. A coupler defining a proximate side and a distal side, the proximate side attached to the support assembly, the distal side comprising a central ring having one or more projections mated to the core's one or more slots, the distal side further comprising an inwardly protruding preload stop spaced apart from an inwardly protruding recline stop, wherein the exterior housing's primary tooth is positioned between the preload stop and recline stop.