| US 7,472,623 B2 | ||
| Polypropylene recliner handle with locking means | ||
| Larry P LaPointe, Temperance, Mich. (US) | ||
| Assigned to La-Z-Boy Incorporated, Monroe, Mich. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jan. 24, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/41,615. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0179968 A1, Aug. 17, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G05G 1/04 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 74—523 | 12 Claims |
| 1. An operator assembly for use in a reclining chair, the operator assembly comprising:
a drive rod having a rod end with a flat surface and an aperture formed through said rod end and said flat surface;
a handle having a cavity formed in a side thereof to receive said rod end and a stepped bore formed in a handle end perpendicular
to and through said cavity;
a slot extending from said cavity in said handle, said slot and said stepped bore having a common axis;
a fastener having a head and a shank, said shank having an unthreaded shoulder portion and a threaded portion with a cheek
created between said shoulder portion and said threaded portion, said fastener inserted into said handle end such that said
shank is positioned freely through said stepped bore and said threaded portion is threadingly received in said aperture to
threadingly engage said drive rod, said fastener further threadingly engages with said slot; and
said stepped bore defining a clearance hole terminating at a flange operating as a stopping point for said cheek of the fastener;
wherein a portion of said handle is directly clamped between said head and said flat surface of said drive rod.
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