Reclining mechanism for portable reclining chair

Abstract

An actuation mechanism for a portable reclining chair includes a button housing disposed within an arm arranged adjacent an arm plate that is moveable relative to the arm plate. The actuation mechanism further includes a button at least partially disposed within the button housing, at least one spring disposed between the button and a surface of the button housing, and a locking pin. The at least one spring is configured to bias the button away from the surface of the button housing. The actuation mechanism is configured such that movement of the button towards the surface of the button housing causes the locking pin to be retracted from an aperture defined by the arm plate, thereby allowing the portable chair to be reclined.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable reclining chair, comprising:
 a foldable base comprising a first leg element and a second leg element;   a seat;   a backrest;   an arm;   an arm plate moveable relative to the arm; and   an actuation mechanism comprising:
 a button housing attached to the arm and arranged adjacent the arm plate; and 
 a button at least partially disposed within the button housing, 
 wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to allow the backrest to be reclined relative to the seat when the button is pressed. 
   
     
     
         2 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured such that the button moves toward a surface of the button housing when the button is pressed. 
     
     
         3 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 2 , wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises:
 at least one spring disposed between the button and the surface of the button housing; and   a locking pin disposed within an aperture defined by the arm plate.   
     
     
         4 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 3 , wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a dowel pin disposed within a slot defined by the button, and wherein the locking pin is coupled to the dowel pin. 
     
     
         5 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one spring comprises a plurality of compression springs configured to bias the button away from the surface of the button housing. 
     
     
         6 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 3 , wherein:
 an upward force is exerted on the locking pin when the button is moved towards the surface of the button housing; and   a downward force is exerted on the locking pin when the button is moved away from the surface of the button housing.   
     
     
         7 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 3 , wherein the locking pin is positioned within a recess formed by the button such that lateral movement of the button does not impede vertical movement of the locking pin. 
     
     
         8 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 3 , wherein movement of the button towards the surface of the button housing causes the locking pin to be retracted from the aperture defined by the arm plate. 
     
     
         9 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 8 , wherein retraction of the locking pin from the aperture allows (i) movement of the arm relative to the arm plate and (ii) movement of the backrest relative to the seat. 
     
     
         10 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 8 , wherein movement of the button towards the surface of the button housing causes a dowel pin to move along a slot defined by the button, which in turn causes the locking pin to be retracted from the aperture defined by the arm plate. 
     
     
         11 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 3 , wherein movement of the arm relative to the arm plate is restricted when the locking pin is disposed within the aperture defined by the arm plate. 
     
     
         12 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 1 , wherein the arm plate comprises a plurality of apertures that are configured to receive a locking pin of the actuation mechanism and that correspond to reclining positions of the portable reclining chair. 
     
     
         13 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the reclining positions of the portable reclining chair include a first position, a second position, and a third position; and   the first position is an upright position, the second position is a relaxed position, and the third position is a reclined position.   
     
     
         14 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 1 , further comprising an elastic cord or an extension spring connected to the arm plate and to a bottom surface of the arm. 
     
     
         15 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 14 , wherein a spring force of the elastic cord or the extension spring biases the portable reclining chair towards an upright position when a locking pin of the actuation mechanism is retracted from an aperture defined by the arm plate. 
     
     
         16 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 15 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured such that pressing the button retracts the locking pin of the actuation mechanism from the aperture defined by the arm plate. 
     
     
         17 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 14 , wherein:
 both ends of the elastic cord are secured within notches on a bottom surface of the arm; and   a middle section of the elastic cord is held by a member extending from the arm plate.   
     
     
         18 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 17 , wherein the member extending from the arm plate is a hook defined by a surface of the arm plate. 
     
     
         19 . The portable reclining chair of  claim 1 , wherein the arm comprises a boss element configured to engage with a slot defined by the arm plate, thereby maintaining alignment of the portable reclining chair as the arm moves relative to the arm plate. 
     
     
         20 . An actuation mechanism for a portable reclining chair, the actuation mechanism comprising:
 a button housing disposed within an arm arranged adjacent an arm plate of the portable reclining chair, the arm being moveable relative to the arm plate;   a button at least partially disposed within the button housing;   at least one spring (i) disposed between the button and a surface of the button housing and (ii) configured to bias the button away from the surface of the button housing; and   a locking pin,   wherein the actuation mechanism is configured such that movement of the button towards the surface of the button housing causes the locking pin to be retracted from an aperture defined by the arm plate, thereby allowing the portable reclining chair to be reclined.