Kneeling rocking chair

Abstract

A kneeling rocking chair includes a base configured to support the chair on a floor, a common frame pivotably mounted to the base, the common frame supporting a seat and a shin rest, and an adjustable rocking mechanism coupled to the base and the common frame, the adjustable rocking mechanism configured to provide adjustable resistance to a rocking motion of the common frame relative to the base

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A kneeling rocking chair comprising:
 a base configured to support the chair on a floor;   a common frame pivotably mounted to the base, the common frame supporting a seat and a shin rest; and   an adjustable rocking mechanism coupled to the base and the common frame, the adjustable rocking mechanism configured to provide adjustable resistance to a rocking motion of the common frame relative to the base.   
     
     
         2 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable rocking mechanism includes:
 a first spring that is deflected when the common frame pivots forward beyond a neutral position; and   a second spring that is deflected with the common frame pivots backwards past the neutral position.   
     
     
         3 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first spring extends between a first mount fixed relative to the base and a first portion of the common frame, and   wherein the first spring extends between a second mount fixed relative to the base and a second portion of the common frame.   
     
     
         4 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustable rocking mechanism includes:
 a front spring block holding a first end of the first spring;   a first threaded adjustment bolt that engages with the front spring block to vary resistance to the rocking motion of the common frame when pivoting forward by varying a ratio of compression of the first spring relative to forward rotation of the common frame relative to the base;   a rear spring block holding a first end of the second spring; and   a second threaded adjustment bolt that engages with the rear spring block to vary resistance to the rocking motion of the common frame when pivoting backwards by varying a ratio of compression of the second spring relative to backward rotation of the common frame relative to the base.   
     
     
         5 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the front spring block and the rear spring block are held relative to the base during rotation of the common frame relative to the base,   wherein a second end of the first spring acts on the common frame when the common frame pivots forward relative to the neutral position, and   wherein a second end of the second spring acts on the common frame when the common frame pivots backwards relative to the neutral position.   
     
     
         6 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 4 , wherein the adjustable rocking mechanism comprises a cover fixedly attached to the base and providing pivot supports for the first threaded adjustment bolt and the second threaded adjustment bolt. 
     
     
         7 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 4 , wherein the adjustable rocking mechanism includes protruding knobs attached to the first and second threaded adjustment bolts, allowing a user to manually adjust the resistance of the rocking motion by rotating the protruding knobs. 
     
     
         8 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 2 , wherein the first spring is a first compression spring and the second spring is a second compression spring. 
     
     
         9 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 2 , wherein the first spring is a first torsion spring and the second spring is a second torsion spring. 
     
     
         10 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the common frame includes a stanchion extending between the first torsion spring and the second torsion spring,   wherein a first end of the first torsion spring is secured to a front spring block fixed relative to the base with a second end of the front spring block acting on the stanchion when the common frame is pivoted forward relative to the neutral position, and   wherein a first end of the second torsion spring is secured to a rear spring block fixed relative to the base with a second end of the rear spring block acting on the stanchion when the common frame is pivoted backward relative to the neutral position.   
     
     
         11 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 10 , wherein the adjustable rocking mechanism further comprises:
 a first threaded adjustment bolt that engages with the front spring block to vary resistance to the rocking motion of the common frame when pivoting forward by varying a ratio of torsional compression of the first spring relative to forward rotation of the common frame relative to the base;   a rear spring block holding a first end of the second spring; and   a second threaded adjustment bolt that engages with the rear spring block to vary resistance to the rocking motion of the common frame when pivoting backwards by varying a ratio of torsional compression of the second spring relative to backward rotation of the common frame relative to the base.   
     
     
         12 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 11 , wherein the adjustable rocking mechanism comprises a cover fixedly attached to the base and providing pivot supports for the first threaded adjustment bolt and the second threaded adjustment bolt. 
     
     
         13 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 2 , wherein the first spring is a first plate spring and the second spring is a second plate spring. 
     
     
         14 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 13 ,
 wherein a proximal end of the first plate spring is fixed relative to the base with a distal end of the first plate spring engaging the common frame when the common frame is pivoted forward relative to the neutral position, and   wherein a proximal end of the second plate spring is fixed relative to the base with a distal end of the second plate spring engaging on the common frame when the common frame is pivoted backwards relative to the neutral position.   
     
     
         15 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 14 , wherein the adjustable rocking mechanism comprises:
 a front plate spring contact fixed relative to the base during rocking of the common frame relative to the base, the front plate spring contact setting a free spring length of the first plate spring as measured from the front plate spring contact to the distal end of the first plate spring engaging the common frame; and   a rear plate spring contact fixed relative to the base during rocking of the common frame relative to the base, the rear plate spring contact setting a free spring length of the second plate spring as measured from the rear plate spring contact to the distal end of the second plate spring engaging the common frame.   
     
     
         16 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 15 , wherein the adjustable rocking mechanism comprises threaded adjustment bolts operatively connected to the front and rear plate spring contacts, the threaded adjustment bolts configured to adjust the position of the plate spring contacts by translating rotational input from a user into linear movement of the plate spring contacts,
 wherein linear movement of the plate spring contacts varies the free spring lengths to adjust the resistance to the rocking motion of the common frame relative to the base.   
     
     
         17 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes two parallel base members and two foot members extending transversely to the parallel base members. 
     
     
         18 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 1 , wherein the base is equipped with swiveling rollers to facilitate movement of the kneeling rocking chair relative to a floor. 
     
     
         19 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 1 , wherein the common frame is formed from two elongated parallel frame members separated by spacers. 
     
     
         20 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 19 , wherein the two parallel frame members are configured to approximate a C-shape with the seat and the shin rest on opposite sides of the C-shape. 
     
     
         21 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the common frame includes a seat support and a shin support on opposing sides of a pivot connection pivotably mounting the common frame to the base,   wherein the seat support includes a first plate spanning the two parallel frame members,   wherein the shin support includes a second plate spanning the two parallel frame members,   wherein the seat includes a seat pad mounted to the seat support, and   wherein the shin rest includes a shin pad mounted to the shin support.   
     
     
         22 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 1 , wherein a pivot connection pivotably mounting the common frame to the base includes a stationary axel extending through a plate attached to the common frame and through holes in the base. 
     
     
         23 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 1 , further comprising a tilt lock mechanism operable to selectively fix the common frame relative to the base. 
     
     
         24 . The kneeling rocking chair of  claim 1 , further comprising anti-collision pads located between contact points of the common frame and the base.