PERSON SUPPORT APPARATUS WITH PIVOTING BACKREST

摘要

A chair includes a backrest that pivots with respect to the seat in a manner that improves the occupant's experience during the transition from an upright position to a reclined position. During pivoting of the backrest with respect to the seat, the backrest moves in a manner having an instantaneous center of rotation that does not remain stationary during the pivoting of the backrest. In some embodiments, the instantaneous center of rotation begins at a location lower than a height of the seat and moves backward as the backrest pivots from the upright position to the reclined position. The movement of the instantaneous center of rotation follows a smoothly curved path that has a continuous first derivative and, in some embodiments, continuous higher order derivatives as well. The movement may be effectuated via pins coupled to the backrest that ride in smoothly curved channels defined in a seat frame.

主权项

1. A person support apparatus comprising:
a frame; a seat supported on the frame; a backrest pivotable between an upright position and a reclined position; and a link assembly coupled to the seat and the backrest, the link assembly configured to continuously move an instantaneous center of rotation of the backrest as the backrest pivots between the upright position and the reclined position.