	US 7,585,018 B2
	Wall proximity reclining chair with in-line linkage mechanism
Larry P. LaPointe, Temperance, Mich. (US); Richard E. Marshall, Monroe, Mich. (US); Brian C. Fredricks, Monroe, Mich. (US); David Collins, Ida, Mich. (US); Richard D. Hartford, Maybee, Mich. (US); Gerald G. Stotz, Ida, Mich. (US); and Michael Gaines, Temperance, Mich. (US)
Assigned to La-Z-Boy Incorporated, Monroe, Mich. (US)
Filed on Jan. 10, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/328,772.
Prior Publication US 2007/0158980 A1, Jul. 12, 2007
Int. Cl. A47C 1/02 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 297—85

56 Claims

1. A furniture member actuation mechanism, comprising:

opposed first and second side plates;

first and second members, the first member connected to the first side plate and the second member connected to the second side plate, each member having an elongated slot including a first and second end;

first and second connecting links, the first connecting link connected to the first side plate and the second connecting link connected to the second side plate;

a first pin connected to the first connecting link and slidingly received in the elongated slot of the first member;

a second pin connected to the second connecting link and slidingly received in the elongated slot of the second member;

first and second seat back support elements, the first element rotatably coupled to the first side plate and the second element rotatably coupled to the second side plate, the first and second seat back support elements rotatable from a fully upright upright position to a fully reclined position;

wherein a rearward force applied by an occupant of the furniture member to both the first and second seat back support elements operates to create a pre-recline position of the seat back support elements defined as a rotation of the seat back support elements from the fully upright to less than the fully reclined position with the first and second pins sliding within the elongated slots away from contact with a first end defining the fully upright position and toward a second end of the elongated slot of both the first and second members in the pre-recline position, and a weight of the occupant when the rearward force is removed operates to return the seat back support elements to a pre-rotation position having the first and second pins sliding back to the first end of the elongated slots of the first and second members.