EP4627968A1

EP4627968A1 - Recliner chair with reclining mechanism and reclining mechanism assembly for venue bleachers

Info

Publication number: EP4627968A1
Application number: EP24177286.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guillermo Enrique LÓPEZ RAMÍREZ
Original assignee: Industrias Nortecaucanas SAS
Current assignee: Industrias Nortecaucanas SAS
Priority date: 2024-04-05
Filing date: 2024-05-22
Publication date: 2025-10-08
Also published as: US20250311848A1; CA3236591A1; MX2024004286A

Abstract

The present invention relates to armchairs with reclining mechanisms and reclining mechanism assemblies to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher via a pair of L-shaped side bases, which are defined by a horizontal part as an armrest and a vertical part that projects below one end of the horizontal part of armrest.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to recliner chairs and reclining mechanism assemblies for recliner chairs that are installed on bleachers of venues such as theaters, cinemas, or auditoriums via anchoring and leveling means, and in particular, in those venues in which the seating is installed in a tiered configuration. The installation of the invention is carried out at the intersection between a portion of a vertical surface (hereinafter also defined in this document as a riser) and a portion of a horizontal surface (hereinafter also defined in this document as a tread), where the tread and the riser define a bleacher.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Currently, auditoriums, theaters, and cinemas seek to remodel their spaces in order to offer greater comfort for their customers. A cinema, theater, or auditorium consists of an enclosure with multiple bleachers and a plurality of seats arranged in a row on the treads of these. Many owners and operators of such venues wish to replace the seats in these venues with reclining chairs with footrests. The problem they face is that this type of furniture does not fit onto the existing surface treads, and therefore, they are forced to demolish the existing bleachers and build new bleachers with larger treads, where reclining chairs with footrests can be fitted. This means substantial modification to the internal construction of the venue, high construction costs and time.
Faced with this problem, a seat assembly with a reclining backrest and extendable footrest was developed that can be mounted on the entire surface of the riser and a portion of the tread of a bleacher in order to modify a conventional cinema theater into an exclusive cinema theater, without incurring the construction for new bleachers.
Thus, the assembly disclosed by US patent 10,888,162 B2 consists of a pair of L-shaped bases that rest on a portion of the tread and on the entire portion of the riser, and also on a portion of the lower tread or surface; where a seat with a thin seat cushion, a backrest, and an extendable footrest are arranged between both bases. In addition, said assembly requires a lifting mechanism that must be miniaturized because it is located beneath the seat, which is why the seat cushion must be of low thickness. The technical report of the document stipulates that the seat must be separated from the upper surface by a distance of 15.24 cm (6 inches). Furthermore, the patent description and claims establish that the assembly requires the application of a backward force to the backrest so that it reclines backwards and simultaneously deploys the extendable footrest; in this sense, a forward force must also be applied so that the backrest inclines forward and the extendable footrest retracts. Thus, the use of various elements and mechanisms is inherent in order to achieve such functionalities because this patent is silent regarding these.
As described in the patent, the recliner chair assembly is utilized in the remodeling of movie theaters, which are public places, so its use is constant. This implies having and complying with a maintenance program for the lifting mechanism, as well as keeping the area under the seat free of objects or debris that can obstruct its proper functioning and/or cause damage to its elements.
Compact lifting mechanisms are known in the prior art. U.S. Patent 11,344,123 B2 discloses a compact reclining mechanism that fits beneath the bottom of the seat of any type of recliner seat unit. The mechanism comprises an arm mounting bracket; a backrest mounting bracket that has a first portion and a second portion, with the backrest mounting bracket pivotally coupled to the arm mounting bracket; a seat rail link pivotally coupled to the backrest mounting bracket; and a full recline assembly coupled to the seat rail link in front of the pivot coupling between the seat rail link and the second portion of the back mounting bracket. The full recline assembly pivotally couples to the arm mounting bracket in front of the pivot coupling between the arm bracket and the back mounting bracket; and an ottoman assembly couples to the seat rail link is configured to move between a closed position and an extended position.
Another example of a compact lifting mechanism is divulged in patent application MX/a/2022/016206 , which describes and illustrates a seat support surface, a seat coupled to a rail and a backrest, with these elements coupled through a reclining link mechanism, wherein each reclining link mechanism includes a base plate securely coupled to a tilting lever at connecting points.
From the descriptions and figures of the compact lifting mechanisms illustrated in the prior art documents cited, it can be noted that these mechanisms are compact and are arranged beneath the seat; nonetheless, their structural complexity can also be noted, consisting of a plurality of mechanical elements and assemblies that attach together via various pivoting means. These structural configurations require constant maintenance due to the wear and tear that the plurality of pivot couplings endure, such as the constant lubrication and cleaning of said elements given that any object can obstruct their functioning.
In this regard, it should also be noted that a movie theater requires multiple cleanings to be carried out during the course of a day, depending on the number of screenings during service hours, as well as the time needed to complete the cleaning. The cleaning of the space or area under the seat of the chairs is commonly excluded because it requires other tools, more time, and qualified personnel to carry this out, so this task is only considered part of the preventive maintenance program done by said personnel, who must be trained in order to avoid unnecessary manipulation or damage to any of the elements that make up the mechanism.
Given such problems, it is necessary that reclining mechanism assemblies in particular do not have their movement propulsion mechanisms located or attached beneath the seat of the recliner chairs. Furthermore, it is required that such reclining mechanism assemblies are not structurally complex, as they are made up of a great variety of elements and other parts that attach together via pivoting means, which make their maintenance, repair, disassembly and installation difficult.
It is important to note that another problem presented by the recliner chair assembly of US patent 10,888,162 B2 consists of its mass production due to its structural design, considering that is absolutely necessary to take into account the dimensions of the bleachers where the assembly will be installed, specifically, the vertical length of the riser. This is because the pair of L-shaped bases of the assembly of the patent rest on a portion of the tread of the bleacher and on a portion of the lower surface or tread. In this way, the vertical dimension of the riser defines the measurement of the L-shaped bases so that they rest completely between a portion of the tread, the riser, and a portion of the lower surface or tread.
Consequently, recliner chairs that can be adapted to a bleacher without complex reclining mechanisms and with easy access to their mechanisms and structures are required to optimize their preventive and corrective maintenance. Primarily, the reclining mechanisms should not be located in the spaces where debris commonly accumulates, such as under the seat or in the seat cushion.
Likewise, recliner chair assemblies with mounting means are needed that allow easy installation and leveling of the chairs at the intersection between a portion of the tread and a portion of the riser of a bleacher, so that they do not rest on the riser or lower surface, like that of the cited patent, which also provides a "floating" visual effect. This avoids or minimizes required modifications to the existing bleachers for each project or venue, both for the horizontal length of the treads and the vertical length of the risers in the venue. In this manner, the installation of the required recliner chairs is facilitated by eliminating or minimizing the need to modify the existing bleachers, and also facilitates the cleaning of the lower surface or tread, which is used as a passageway.
Considering the aforementioned problems, the present invention has several characteristics that make it completely different from known assemblies, mechanisms and recliner chairs. As can be seen later in this descriptive report, the present invention incorporates structural configurations in its assemblies, mechanisms, and elements to provide a solution to the stated problems.

OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a recliner chair and reclining mechanism assembly that can be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser, with a mechanical structure for easy preventative and corrective maintenance, where the tread and riser form a bleacher.
A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a recliner chair and reclining mechanism assembly that can be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser in which its operation is not affected by objects or debris that accumulate beneath these.
A third objective of the present invention is to provide a recliner chair and reclining mechanism assembly that can be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser with a structural configuration that does not depend on the precise dimension of the vertical length of the riser, nor the use of a leveling element to adjust the height of the chair or assembly with respect to the lower surface or tread.
A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide a recliner chair and a reclining mechanism assembly that produce a zero-gravity effect via mounting and leveling means in which the weight of the mechanism and the user is properly distributed and balanced.
A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide a recliner chair and reclining mechanism assembly where the deployment/retraction of the footrest does not depend on the backrest's reclining position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a recliner chair to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher; the recliner chair comprises: a first side base and a second side base, each with an L-shape. Each L-shaped side base is attached to a portion of the surface of the tread and projects along the surface of the riser towards a lower surface or tread without resting upon it. Nonetheless, in an alternative embodiment, it can project to the lower surface or tread. The second base can be located to the right and the first side base to the left, or vice versa. Likewise, the recliner chair includesa seat with tilting means that are supported by and couple to the L-shaped side bases, establishing an axis of rotation; a backrest that securely attaches to the rear end of the seat; and a footrest that mechanically attaches beneath the seat. The seat, backrest, and footrest form a tilting unit that pivots with respect to the L-shaped side bases via the axis of rotation; and an actuating device located behind the footrest that attaches to the seat in order to provoke the movement of the tilting unit from an initial position to a maximum reclining position, also known as zero gravity, in which the footrest also deploys with respect to the pivoting movement for the recline.
An alternate embodiment of the invention consists of a recliner chair that can be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher, the recliner chair comprises: a seat base that can be attached to the surface of the tread, a first L-shaped side base and a second L-shaped side base, each side base attaches to the sides of the seat base, and projects along the surface of the riser towards a lower surface or tread without resting upon it. Nonetheless, in an alternative embodiment, it can project to the lower surface or tread. The second and first L-shaped side bases have the same structural characteristics. The recliner chair also includes a backrest that attaches via pivoting elements beneath the rear end of the seat base, establishing a first axis of rotation; a first actuating device is secured inside the backrest and attaches to the seat base to provoke the pivoting movement of the backrest, with respect to the seat base, at the first rotation axis from an initial position to an inclined position of the backrest; a footrest attaches underneath the front end of the seat base and projects along the surface of the riser; and a second actuator is located behind the footrest under the front part of the seat and mechanically attaches to it forits deployment and retraction. This portion of the mechanism causes the deployment or retraction of the footrest, which is independent of the portion of the backrest mechanism that causes the tilt of the backrest.
Another embodiment consists of a row system of recliner chairs to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher; the system consists of a series connection of at least two recliner chairs that comprise three L-shaped side bases, where one of the L-shaped side bases is used as a side and central base for at least two of the recliner chairs, where the base may also have a folding armrest element.
In accordance with the embodiment of the invention, a reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair that can be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher, the assembly comprises: a first side base frame and a second side base frame, both L-shaped, where each L-shaped side base frame is mounted onto the surface of the tread and projects along the surface of the riser towards a lower surface or tread without resting upon it. Nonetheless, in an alternative embodiment, it can project to the lower surface or tread. In addition, each L-shaped side base frame comprises mounting means to secure it on a portion of the tread surface and leveling means that rest on the riser surface to level the assembly; the second side base comprises the same structural characteristics as the first side base, or vice versa. This assembly also comprises a seat frame with tilting means that attach to the L-shaped side bases, establishing an axis of rotation; a backrest frame that attaches to the rear end of the seat frame; and a hinged footrest assembly that attaches beneath the seat frame. The frame of the seat frame, the backrest frame, and the footrest assembly form a tilting unit that pivots, with respect to the L-shaped side bases, on the single axis of rotation; and an actuating device, located behind the footrest assembly, that attaches to the seat frame to provoke the movement of the tilting unit from an initial position to a fully inclined position, known as zero gravity, where the footrest also deploys or retracts with respect to the pivoting or rotating movement of the tilting unit.
Another embodiment of the invention consists of a reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair that can be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher, the assembly comprises: a seat base that can be attached to the surface of the tread, a first L-shaped side base and a second L-shaped side base, where each side base frame attaches to the sides of the seat base frame and projects along the surface of the riser towards a lower surface or tread without resting upon it. Nonetheless, in an alternative embodiment, it can project to the lower surface or tread. The second side base frame mirrors the structure of the first side base frame, or vice versa. In addition, this assembly comprises a backrest frame that attaches via pivoting means underneath the rear end of the seat base frame, establishing a first axis of rotation; a first actuating device secured inside the backrest frame and attached to the seat base frame to provoke the movement of the backrest frame, with respect to the seat base frame, at the first axis of rotation, from an initial position to an inclined position; a hinged footrest assembly attached beneath the front end of the seat base frame and projects along a portion of the riser; and a second actuator located behind the hinged footrest assembly, mechanically attached to it via pivoting elements for the deployment/retraction of thehinged footrest assembly. This portion of the mechanism causes the deployment or retraction of the hinged footrest assembly, which is independent of the inclining or reclining movement of the backrest frame.
A further embodiment of the invention consists of an assembly system of at least two recliner chair mechanisms to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher; the assembly system comprises: a series connection of at least two reclining mechanism assemblies using three side base frames, wherein one of the side base frames is used as a central base to join both assemblies, with an optional folding armrest upper surface.
Thus, the present invention improves recliner chairs for venues with bleachers through the structural configurations of the reclining mechanism assemblies detailed in this technical report, which provide simplified reclining mechanisms and better operational performance because they are not arranged in spaces where debris or other objects commonly accumulate that can interfere with their operation, resulting in reclining mechanisms with easy preventative and corrective maintenance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 . An embodiment of the recliner chair of the invention to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher.
Figure 2 . A perspective view is shown of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 1.
Figure 3 . A perspective view is shown of a seat frame coupled with a hinged footrest assembly of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 2.
Figure 4 . A perspective view is shown of the backrest frame of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 2.
Figure 5A . A perspective view is shown of an L-shaped side base frame of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 2.
Figure 5B . A perspective view is shown of the assembly of the first L-shaped side base and the second L-shaped side base of the recliner chair from Figure 1.
Figure 6 . A perspective view is shown of the L-shaped side base frame coupled with an L-shaped side base frame of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 2, mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher.
Figure 7 . A perspective view is shown of the seat frame assembly coupled with the hinged footrest assembly, with the seat frame pivotally coupled to the L-shaped side bases that mount at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher.
Figure 8A . A perspective view is shown of a height-lifting element for the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 2.
Figure 8B . A perspective view is shown of the L-shaped side base frame from Figure 5A that attaches to the lifting element from Figure 8A.
Figure 9 . A perspective view is shown of another embodiment of the reclining mechanism assembly.
Figure 10 . An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown of the recliner chair to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher.
Figure 11 . An exploded view is shown of the recliner chair to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher.
Figure 12 . A perspective view is illustrated of the seat base frame from Figure 11.
Figure 13 . A perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention is shown of the backrest frame of the reclining mechanism assembly of the chair.
Figure 14 . A perspective view is shown of an L-shaped side base frame of a second embodiment of the invention of the reclining mechanism assembly of the chair.
Figure 15 . A perspective view is shown of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 10.
Figure 16 . An exploded view is shown of the hinged footrest assembly of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 10.
Figure 17 . The coupling of the first actuating device with the seat base frame of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 10 is shown in detail.
Figure 18A . A perspective view is shown of a height-lifting base element for the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 10.
Figure 18B . A perspective view is shown of the L-shaped side base frame from Figure 13, coupled with the seat base frame from Figure 11, secured to the height-lifting element from Figure 17A.
Figure 19 . An example of a remodeled movie theater with a plurality of bleachers with recliner chairs from Figure 1 or 10 is shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description addresses several exemplary embodiments. Nonetheless, a subject matter expert will understand that the examples presented in this document have broad applications, and that the description of any embodiment is only exemplary of that embodiment and should not suggest that the description's scope, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to specific characteristics or components. As a subject matter expert would know, the same features or components may be known by different names. This document is intended to distinguish between components or features that differ in name, but not in function.
In the interest of brevity, certain subcomponents of the individual components, as well as other aspects of the recliner chair or reclining mechanism assembly, may not be described in detail in this document. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functionalities, as well as electrical devices and couplings, may be present in the recliner chairs of the invention, e.g., using devices or control cards, user interfaces, and other electrical elements involved for each of the functionalities, and can therefore be implemented with any number of appropriately configured components to perform specific functions.
In accordance with Figure 1, which shows an embodiment of the recliner chair (10) to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread (S1) and a portion of a riser (S2) of a bleacher; the recliner chair (10) comprises: a first L-shaped side base (100A) and a second L-shaped side base (100B); each L-shaped side base is mounted with anchoring elements (501) that fasten onto a portion of the tread (S1) and project along a portion of the riser (S2) towards a lower surface or tread (S3) without resting upon it. In an alternative embodiment, the L-shaped side bases can project to the lower tread or surface. The levelling elements (105) are also secured onto the surface of the riser (S2) to level the mounting of the L-shaped side base.. Thus, the first and second L-shaped side bases (100A, 100B) define the shape of the L-shaped side base frame.
Continuing with figure 1, the recliner chair also comprises a seat (200) comprising a rotating element on each of its lateral sides, which are secured to and supported by the first L-shaped side base (100A) and the second L-shaped side base (100B), correspondingly; a backrest (300) consisting of a backrest portion and a headboard portion, which couples with and is attached to the rear end of the seat (200); and a footrest (400) that attaches to the front end beneath the seat (200) along a portion of the riser (S2) so it does not entirely cover it. The seat (200), backrest (300), and footrest (400), assembled together, form a tilting unit that tilts or pivots with respect to the L-shaped side bases.
An actuating device (not shown) is located behind the footrest (400) and mechanically connects to an actuator support element (not shown) of the seat (200) to provoke the movement of the tilting unit, with respect to the L-shaped side bases (100A, 100B), from an initial position to a maximum reclining position, known as zero gravity, in which the footrest also deploys/retracts with respect to the pivoting movement of the tilting unit.
Likewise, the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair (10) from Figure 1 is illustrated in Figure 2 without one of its side bases. The reclining mechanism assembly comprises: a tilting unit consisting of a seat frame (201) with two rotating elements (202) that protrude from its sides, specifically to the front face of the corresponding L-shaped side base, which consist of but are not limited to a pair of hollow cylinders, and an anchoring element for the actuator (210) placed on the underside of one side of the seat frame (201); a backrest frame (301) attaches to the upper part of the seat frame (201) via coupling elements and securing elements, such as screws, but not limited to these; and a footrest assembly (not illustrated) attaches via pivoting elements (203) to the front end of the seat frame (see Figure 3), which covers part of the riser (S2). In addition, the seat frame (201) extends over a part of the tread (S1) and over the top part of a lower surface or tread (S3) as illustrated in Figure 6.
Continuing with Figure 2, the reclining mechanism assembly comprises a first L-shaped side base frame (101A) and a second L-shaped side base frame (not illustrated), with the first L-shaped side base frame (101A) and the second L-shaped side base frame mirroring each other with the same structures and elements on their side faces, which allows them to be used on either the left or right side of the described assembly.
Each L-shaped side base frame comprises a support element (104) on the front face of the seat frame, which consists of an element such as a bushing, bearing, or other with the same functional purpose; in the preferred embodiment of the invention, this element consists of a square-shaped body formed by two parts with a hole in its center, which acts as a bushing. This configuration is practical for the assembly process, as described below. In this manner, the support element (104) houses one of the rotating elements (202) that protrude from the sides of the seat frame (201). The first and second rotating elements (202), coupled within the respective support elements of the first and second side base frames, establish an axis of rotation of the reclining mechanism. In this manner, the tilting unit is supported by and pivots with respect to the L-shaped side base frames.
In addition, each L-shaped side base frame (101A) is secured with mounting means (106), which extend towards the surface of the tread (S1) to secure the side base frame onto a portion of the tread, while leveling elements (not illustrated) adjust the position of the L-shaped side base frame (101A) by means of its support along the surface of the riser (S2). Moreover, the L-shaped side base frame (101A) does not project to the lower surface or tread (S3), so the side base frames do not rest or support on the lower surface or tread. Nonetheless, in an alternative embodiment, these can project to the lower surface or tread.
In reference to Figures 2 and 6, an actuator crossbar (208) is illustrated with a pair of support bases (209) at its ends. The actuator crossbar (208) mounts between the faces of the L-shaped side base frames at the front of the seat frame (201) of the tilting unit. The support bases (209) attach to the inner faces of the L-shaped side base frames with fasteners such as screws, rivets, etc. Furthermore, an actuator support element (211) is located near one of the support bases (209) of the actuator crossbar (208), specifically, on the same side where the actuator anchoring element (210) of the seat frame (201) is positioned. The actuating device (212) illustrated in Figures 2 and 6 is attached to the actuator support element (211) of the actuator crossbar (208) and to the actuator anchoring element (210) of the seat frame (201) via pivoting elements, such as a clip with a pin, but not limited to this. Thus, the actuating device (212), utilizing a control mechanism (not shown), can move the tilting unit with respect to the side base frames from an initial position to a maximum reclining position, with a zero-gravity effect.
Figure 3 shows a detailed structure of the seat frame (201) from Figure 2; the seat frame consists of a rectangular metal structure that includes a seat-footrest part (215), and a seat part (213) at an angle with respect to the seat-footrest part (215). The seat part (213) comprises a pair of male-coupling elements (214) at its rear end, which couple and attach the backrest frame (illustrated in Figure 6) to the seat frame (201). The male-coupling elements (214) are positioned near the sides or lateral ends of the seat part (213) and project vertically with respect to the seat-footrest part (215).
The seat-footrest part (215) of the seat frame structure (201) comprises two rotating elements (202) on its sides. Each rotating element (202) extends from the sides of the seat-footrest part (215) towards the corresponding side base frame (Figure 2). The rotating elements (202) are attached to the seat-footrest part (215) via a welding process, but not limited to this. As illustrated in the reference figure, the rotating elements (202) are positioned close to the seat portion (213) of the seat frame structure (201) and are used to pivot, as well as a means of support, which attach to the L-shaped side base frames.
In accordance with Figures 2 and 3, the actuator anchoring element (210) is secured to the underside of the seat-footrest part (215) close to its front end, while the hinged footrest assembly (401) is secured in front of the actuator anchoring element (210) at the front end of the seat-footrest part (215) with pivoting elements (203). The hinged footrest assembly (401) in Figure 3 comprises a bearing (402) that drives the deployment/retraction of the hinged footrest assembly via the pivoting elements (203).
The actuating device (212) illustrated in Figures 2 and 6 attaches to the actuator support element (211) on the actuator crossbar (208), while the moving part of the actuating device attaches to the actuator anchoring element (210) on the seat base frame (201). In this manner, the actuating device (212) is positioned behind the hinged footrest assembly, and not between the surface of the tread and the seat frame (201); as such, the actuating device (212) provokes the pivoting motion or rotation of the tilting unit, which consists of the seat frame (201), the backrest frame (301) and the hinged footrest assembly. When the actuating device (212) extends, it provokes the movement the tilting unit backwards, raising the hinged footrest assembly; at the same time, the hinged footrest assembly extends proportionally via an actuating element described further in the document. When the actuating device (212) retracts, the seat frame together with the backrest frame (301) return to a starting position, while the hinged footrest assembly also retracts.
The backrest frame from Figure 2 is illustrated in detail in Figure 4. The backrest frame (301) comprises a backrest part (302) and an angled headboard part (303), which provide an ergonomic shape for a user's head and back. A pair of female-coupling elements (304) are located on the sides of the lower end of the backrest part (302). Each female-coupling element (304) receives one of the male-coupling elements (214) of the backrest frame (301) in Figure 3. The pair of female-coupling elements (304) of the backrest frame (301) and the male-coupling elements (214) of the backrest frame (301) form a clip-on attachment mechanism for easy mounting/dismounting.
Figures 5A and 5B show the structural characteristics of the first and second L-shaped side base frames (101A, 101B) of the assembly from Figure 2, with both being structurally equivalent. The side base frame (101) in Figure 5A is mounted at the intersection between a portion of the tread (S1) and a portion of the riser (S2) of the bleacher. The metal structure of the side base frame (101) consists of a a vertical armrest part (103) and a vertical support part (103'), thus achieving the L-shape. A portion of the vertical armrest part (103) is mounted onto a portion of the tread with mounting elements (106), which project below the vertical armrest part (103) to couple with the respective anchoring elements (501) that fasten to the upper surface of the tread, while a second portion of the armrest part (103) extends above part of the lower surface or tread (S3). The vertical support part (103') of the side base frame (101) extends below the second portion of the vertical armrest part (103) towards the lower surface or tread without touching or resting upon it. Nonetheless, in an alternative embodiment, these can extend to the lower surface or tread. The upper surface of the vertical part of the armrest (103) can be curved, straight, or any anatomical shape, which also includes support elements (108) to attach apparatuses such as cup holders, tables, user interfaces, or lighting elements.
Continuing with Figures 5A and 5B, the leveling elements (105) extend out from the rear face of the vertical support part (103') of the side base frame (101) and rest on the surface of the riser (S2) in order to level the assembly on the bleacher. The leveling of the assembly is an important factor in this embodiment, as the L-shaped side base frames (101A, 101B) support the weight and movement of the tilting unit, so an incorrect leveling can cause unnecessary wear or incorrect functioning of the assembly's components due to the uneven distribution of weight on the L-shaped side base frames.
The side base frame (101) in Figure 5A comprises a coupling guide (111) on both side faces to secure an actuating element; a pair of through holes (112) to secure a support element, and a coupling mechanism for the actuator support (110) to secure one end of the actuator crossbar. This structural configuration allows for the easy assembly and disassembly of the support bases (209) for the actuator crossbar and the footrest actuating element (109), given that these elements suffer wear and tear with use. These are illustrated in detail in Figure 5B.
Regarding Figure 5B, the first side base(100A) and second side base (100B) of the reclining chair embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 is mounted at the intersection between a portion of the tread (S1) and a portion of the riser (S2) of the bleacher; Nonetheless, as previously mentioned, the first side base (100A) and the second side base (100B) internally have the structure of the side base frame (101) from Figure 5A. In accordance with Figure 5B, the outer faces of the first side base (100A) and the second side base (100B) are lined with panels and/or upholstery.
According to Figure 5B, the support element (104) of the first side base (100A) and the support element of the second side base (100B) comprise a hole or bushing; nonetheless, this may also have a bearing that houses one of the rotating elements of the seat frame, allowing its free rotation in its interior. As such, the separation between the first side base (100A) and the second side base (100B) must be sufficient to allow the assembly of the tilting unit and its pivoting movement with respect to the L-shaped side bases.
A cylindrical actuating element (109) is secured to the inner side face of the first side base (100A). The actuating element (109) is a guide element along which a sliding element moves, thus triggering the deployment/retraction of the hinged footrest assembly, as illustrated in Figure 5. As illustrated in Figures 5A and 6, the actuator crossbar (208) is secured between the first side base (100A) and the second side base (100B) behind the hinged footrest assembly by the support elements (209), as illustrated in Figures 5A and 5B. The actuator crossbar (208) has an actuator support element (211) close to one of its coupling elements (209), specifically, on the same side where the actuator anchoring element (210) of the seat frame (201) is located. As such, in accordance with Figure 6, the actuating device (212) is secured to the actuator support element (211) of the crossbar (208) and couples with the actuator anchoring element (210) of the seat frame (201).
Figure 7 illustrates the seat frame (201) attached between the first side base (100A) and the second side base (100B), where each support element (104) of the bases houses one of the rotating elements (202) that protrude from the side ends of the seat frame (201). In addition, the footrest assembly (401) is attached to the front end of the seat frame (201), which comprises a bearing (402) with a linear groove in which the upper part of the actuating element (109) fits, so that when the seat frame (201) moves, the bearing (402) slides over the actuating element (109), which is held in place by its groove, provoking the deployment/retraction of the hinged footrest assembly. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each support element (104) is composed of an upper portion and a lower portion that connect together with fasteners so that the seat frame (201) or the entire tilting unit can be disassembled without moving or removing the L-shaped side support bases.
In another embodiment of the invention, a lifting element (500) is used to adjust the height of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 2 when the riser has a length of height less than what is required to mount the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair.
The lifting element (500) consists of a metal structure made up of a lower base element (502), an upper base element (503), both substantially equal, rectangular in shape; four support elements (504) join the lower base element (502) and the upper base element (503). A pair of mounting elements (505) are positioned in the interior of the lower base element (502) to secure the lifting element (500) to the surface of the tread. In this manner, it's possible to modify the length of the support elements (504), which depends on the height needed to mount the chair on the desired bleacher.
Anchoring elements (501) are attached to the upper base element (503) to mount an L-shaped side base frame. In this manner, the lifting element (500) is secured to the upper surface of the tread to adjust the height and mount the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 2.
Likewise, as illustrated in Figure 8B, each L-shaped side base frame (101) of the assembly can be mounted to the lifting element (500) in order to adjust the height of the recliner chair assembly from Figure 1 for the user's comfort.
In accordance with Figure 9, the hinged footrest assembly (401) further comprises a pair of lifting mechanisms for an ottoman (403), which is mechanically attached to the hinged assembly. Each ottoman lifting mechanism (403) comprises a plurality of elements connected in an articulated manner that expand the support area of the footrest for the user's comfort.
On the other hand, Figure 10 illustrates another embodiment of the recliner chair (20) to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread (S1) and a portion of a riser (S2) of a bleacher; the recliner chair (20) comprises: a seat base (800) that attaches to a portion of the tread (S1) via securing mechanisms; a first L-shaped side base (700A) is attached to one side of the seat base (800) with coupling means; a second L-shaped side base (700B) is attached to the other side of the seat opposite the first side base (700A) with coupling means.
Likewise, the recliner chair (20) also includes a backrest (900) that is secured via pivoting mechanisms at the rear end of the seat base (800), establishing a first axis of rotation; a first actuating device attaches to the backrest (900) and is secured to the seat base (800) with a pivoting element to provoke the movement of the backrest (900) with respect to the seat base (800) at the first axis of rotation, from an initial position to an inclined position. The first actuating device is located inside the backrest (900).
A footrest (1000) is attached via pivoting mechanisms at the front end of the seat base (800), establishing a second axis of rotation. The footrest (1000) projects along a portion of the riser (S2) without entirely covering it; a second actuating device attaches to the seat base (800) and couples with the footrest (1000) via a pivoting element to provoke the folding/unfolding movement of the footrest from a retracted position to a fully expanded position. The second actuating device is located behind the footrest (1000). The second actuating device is located behind the footrest (1000).
Figure 11 illustrates an exploded view of the recliner chair (20) from Figure 10 without the footrest. Specifically, the breakdown of the seat base (800) is illustrated in detail, which comprises the seat base frame (801) that attaches to a portion of the tread (S1) of the bleacher, and a cushion with lining or upholstery (802) that covers the seat base frame (801).
In accordance with Figures 11 and 12, the seat base frame (801) consists of a metal structure that is composed of a horizontal frame (803) for the first part, and a vertical frame (804) for the second part, which projects beneath the horizontal frame (803). In this manner, in accordance with Figure 11, the horizontal frame part (803) of the seat base frame (801) attaches to a portion of the tread (S1) of the bleacher via a first set of anchoring elements (805) that extend toward the interior of the frame, and a second set of anchoring elements (806) that extend out from the sides of the horizontal frame at the rear end (803). The vertical frame part (804) projects along a portion of the riser (S2) of the bleacher. The horizontal frame (803) for the first part and the vertical frame (804) for the second are defined by the bleacher where the seat base frame mounts (801).
Continuing with Figure 12, upper mounting elements for the side base (808) project at a 90° angle with respect to the sides of the second anchoring elements (807) of the horizontal frame part (803), while other lower mounting elements for the side base (809) project at a 90°angle with respect to the vertical frame part (804). As such, the first L-shaped side base (700A) and the second L-shaped side base (700B) attach to each side of the seat base frame (801), coupling with the upper mounting elements for the side base (808) and the lower mounting elements for the side base (809) via fastening elements, such as screws, bolts, etc.
Anchoring elements for the backrest (810) protrude from the horizontal frame (803) parallel to and between the upper mounting elements of the side base (808). A male-coupling element, not illustrated, couples to each backrest anchoring element (810) via a pivoting element to provoke the pivoting movement of the backrest (900) with respect to the seat base frame (801), which defines the first axis of rotation.
An anchoring element for the first actuator (811) is located on the top surface of the rear end of the horizontal frame part (803) so that the moving part of the first actuating device, located inside the backrest (900), attaches to the anchoring element for the first actuator (811), using a pivoting element as illustrated in Figure 17. A support element for the second actuator (812) is located near the lower end of the vertical frame part (804), attaching to the second actuating device, which is covered by the footrest (1000), as shown in Figure 10.
Figure 13 illustrates the backrest frame (901) of the backrest (900) from Figure 10; the backrest frame (901) consists of a metal structure formed by a backrest part (902) and an angled headboard part (903), achieving an ergonomic shape for the user's back and head. A pair of female-coupling elements (904) are located at the sides of the lower end of the backrest part (902); each female-coupling element (904) receives one of the male-coupling elements (not illustrated) that pivotally attach to the seat base frame (801) from Figure 11. The pair of female-coupling elements (904) of the backrest frame (901) and the male-coupling elements (902) form a clip-on attachment mechanism for easy mounting/dismounting.
A support element for the first actuator (905) protrudes from the lower face of a supporting crossbar (906) that is located horizontally on the backrest part (902) above the female-coupling elements (904).
Figure 14 shows a side base frame (701) that corresponds to the first L-shaped side base (700A) and the second L-shaped side base (700B) from Figures 11 and 12. The side base frame (701) consists of a metal structure that is composed of a horizontal part for the armrest (702) and a vertical part (703) which extends downward at one end of the horizontal part for the armrest (702), achieving an L-shape. The upper surface of the horizontal part of the armrest (702) and the front surface of the side base frame (701) can be curved, straight, or any anatomical shape, which also includes support elements (704) suitable for attaching other apparatuses, such as cup holders, tables, user interfaces, or lighting elements.
The side base frame (701) comprises an upper coupling element (705) on both of its side faces, located on the horizontal part of the armrest (702), to attach the lateral frame (701) to the upper mounting elements for the side base (808) of the seat base frame (801); and a lower coupling element (706), located on the vertical part (703), to attach the lateral frame (701) to the lower mounting elements for the side base (809) of the seat base frame (801); in the preferred embodiment of the invention, fastening elements such as screws can be used to attach the side bases to the seat base frame.
Thus, Figure 15 illustrates a reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair (20) from Figure 10, without one of its side bases. The reclining mechanism assembly to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread (S1) and a portion of a riser (S2) of a bleacher comprises: an L-shaped side base frame (701) which attaches to upper (808) and lower (809) mounting elements of the seat base frame (801); a backrest frame (901) that pivotally couples to the seat base frame (801) via the pair of female-coupling elements (904) of the backrest frame (901), and the male-coupling elements (902) that pivotally couple to the respective backrest anchoring elements (810) of the seat base frame (801), establishing a first axis of rotation; a first actuating device (907) is housed within the backrest frame (901) and attaches to the support element for the first actuator (905), while the moving part of the first actuating device attaches to the seat base frame (801). Thus, the first actuating device (907) provokes the pivoting movement of the backrest frame (901), with respect to the seat base frame (801), via the first axis of rotation, from an initial position to an inclined backrest position.
Continuing with Figure 15, a hinged footrest assembly (1001) that is part of the footrest (1000) from Figure 10 attaches to the underside of the front end of the seat base frame (801). The hinged footrest assembly (1001) comprises a footrest mechanism that consists of a pair of hinged arms (1003). Each hinged arm (1003) consists of a mounting base (1002) that attaches to the underside of the seat base frame (801), a mounting base for the footrest cushion (1004), and folding/unfolding elements (1005) that join together via first pivot points (1006) while second pivot points (1007) connect the folding/unfolding elements (1005) to the mounting base (1002) and the mounting base for the footrest cushion (1004); a footrest crossbar (1008) attaches between the pair of hinged arms (1003) to extend/retract the two hinged arms at the same time by means of the second actuating device.
In specific, Figure 16 illustrates the exploded view of the hinged footrest assembly (1001); the hinged arms (1003) structurally mirror each other, while the crossbar of the footrest mechanism (1008) comprises one of its sides. An anchoring element for the first actuator (1009) attaches to the moving part of the second actuating device (813). In this manner and in accordance with the assembly in Figure 16, the second actuating device (813) provokes the folding/unfolding of the hinged footrest assembly (1001), independent of the movement or inclined position of the backrest frame (901) with respect to the seat base frame.
In another embodiment of the invention, a lifting element (1100) is used to adjust the height of the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair from Figure 11 when the surface of the riser has a length of height less than what is required to mount the reclining mechanism assembly of the recliner chair onto the desired bleacher.
In accordance with Figure 18A, the lifting base element (1100) consists of a metal structure composed of a lower element (1101) and an upper element (1102), with both being equal and having a substantially rectangular shape. The lower elements (1101) and upper elements (1102) are attached together with four support elements (1103) of equal length, depending on the height required to mount the chair assembly onto the bleacher. Mounting elements (1104) are attached to the lower base element (1102), which secure the lifting base element (1102) to the surface of the tread of the bleacher.
Thus, the lifting base element (1100) can be secured to a portion of the tread in order to adjust the height of the reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair from Figure 11.
In this regard, as illustrated in Figure 18B, the seat base frame (801) secures to the lifting base element (1100) in order to adjust the height of the assembly as well as the elevation of the L-shaped side base frames, which attach to the sides of the seat base frame (801).
Figure 19 illustrates a remodeled movie theater with recliner chairs corresponding to one of the embodiments of the invention. Each row (F) consists of a recliner chair system comprising a series connection of at least two recliner chairs, as illustrated by Figures 1 and 10, connected in series using three L-shaped side bases, in which one of the L-shaped side base frames is used as an L-shaped central base to join both armchairs, and in which the L-shaped central base can have an optional folding armrest.
The multiple embodiments of the invention that have been described above should be understood as examples, but not limited to these. Experts in the relevant field will recognize that various modifications to the form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the exemplary embodiments described above, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
Other optional accessories that improve the comfort and user experience can be installed in the recliner chairs or assemblies of the embodiments described, such as: illuminated signage, backrest heater, seat heater, control interface, connection interfaces for mobile devices, etc., without departing from the essence of the invention.
Additionally, although implementations of the disclosure have been described and illustrated, it should not be limited to the specific forms or provisions of the parts described and illustrated. The scope of disclosure is defined by the claims annexed to the present document, any claims presented therein, and in different applications and their equivalents.

1. A recliner chair to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher, the recliner chair comprises:
- a seat base that attaches to the surface of the tread, a first L-shaped side base and a second L-shaped side base, with each side base attaching to each side of the seat base, which projects along the surface of the riser towards a lower surface or tread, where the second and first side bases comprise the same structural characteristics;
- a backrest attaches via pivoting elements at the rear end of the seat base, establishing a first axis of rotation;
- a first actuating device is secured inside the backrest and attaches to the seat base to provoke the hinged movement of the backrest at the first axis of rotation, with respect to the seat base, from an initial position to the backrest's reclined position.
2. The recliner chair, in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a footrest that attaches via pivoting means to the front end of the seat base, establishing a second axis of rotation; where the footrest projects along the surface of the riser without entirely covering it; and a second actuating device that attaches to the seat base and pivotally attaches to the footrest to provoke the folding/unfolding movement of the footrest, from a retracted position to a fully expanded position.
3. The recliner chair, in accordance with claim 10, wherein the first actuator is located inside the backrest, and wherein the second actuating device is located behind the footrest.
4. A reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher; the assembly comprises:
- a seat base frame that attaches to surface of the tread, a first L-shaped side base frame and a second L-shaped side base frame; where each side base frame attaches to the sides of the seat base frame, and this projects along the surface of the riser towards the lower surface or tread, where the second side base frame mirrors the structure of the first side base frame, or vice versa;
- a backrest frame attaches to the rear end of the seat base frame via pivoting means, establishing a first axis of rotation;
- a first actuating device is secured inside the backrest frame and attaches to the seat base frame to provoke the movement of the backrest frame at the first axis of rotation, with respect to the seat base frame, from an initial position to a reclined position.
5. The reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair, in accordance with claim 13, further comprising a hinged footrest assembly that attaches beneath the front end of the seat base frame and projects along a portion of the riser; and a second actuator that is located behind the hinged footrest assembly and mechanically attaches via pivoting elements for the deployment/retraction of the hinged footrest assembly, independent of the reclining movement of the backrest frame of the assembly.
6. The reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair, in accordance with claim 13, wherein the seat base frame consists of a metal structure composed of a horizontal frame for the first part, and a vertical frame for the second part, which projects below the horizontal frame of the first part, and wherein the horizontal frame of the first part attaches onto a portio of the tread; and where the vertical frame of the second part projects along a portion of the riser; and where the horizontal frame of the first part and the vertical frame of the second part are defined by the shape of part of the bleacher on which the seat base frame mounts.
7. The reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair, in accordance with claim 14, where the seat base frame comprises upper mounting elements for the side base, which protrude from the sides of the horizontal frame of the first part; and lower mounting elements for the side base, which protrude from the sides of the vertical frame of the second part; where the first L-shaped side base and the second L-shaped side base attach to the sides of the seat base frame, coupling with the upper mounting elements for the side base and the lower mounting elements for the side base.
8. The reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair, in accordance with claim 13, wherein the backrest frame consists of a metal structure formed by a backrest part and an angled headboard part, achieving an ergonomic shape for a user's back and head; where a pair of female-coupling elements are located at the sides of the lower end of the backrest; and where each female-coupling element receives one of the male-coupling elements in its interior, which pivotally attaches to the seat base frame, forming the first axis of rotation.
9. An assembly system of at least two recliner chair mechanisms to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher; the assembly system comprises: a series connection using three side base frames for at least two reclining mechanism assemblies, as in claim 13, where one of the side base frames is used as a central base to join both assemblies.

Claims

A recliner chair to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher, the recliner chair comprises:
a first side base and a second side base, both L-shaped, with each L-shaped base attaching to the surface of the tread and extending along the surface of the riser towards a lower surface or tread, where the second base may be located on the right and the first side base on the left, or vice versa;

a seat comprising tilting means that attach to the L-shaped side bases, establishing an axis of rotation;

a backrest that attaches in a fixed manner to the rear end of the seat;

and a footrest that attaches under the seat; where the seat, backrest, and footrest form a tilting unit that pivots with respect to the L-shaped side bases via the axis of rotation.
The recliner chair, in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an actuating device located behind the footrest and pivotally connects to the seat to move the tilting unit, with respect to the L-shaped side bases, from an initial position to a maximum reclining position known as zero gravity; in which the footrest also extends/retracts as a result of the pivoting movement of the tilting unit.
The recliner chair, in accordance with claim 1, wherein each L-shaped side base mounts with anchoring elements to the surface of the tread, where each L-shaped side base comprises leveling elements that are supported on the surface of the riser to level its mounting.
The recliner chair, in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tilting means of the seat consists of a pair of rotating elements located on each side of the seat, which attach to the L-shaped side bases.
A reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair to be mounted on a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher; the assembly comprises:
a first side base frame and a second side base frame, both L-shaped, where each L-shaped side base frame attaches to the surface of a tread and extends along the surface of a riser towards a lower surface or tread, where the second side base comprises the same structural characteristics of the first side base, or vice versa;

a seat frame that comprises tilting means, which attach to the L-shaped side bases, establishing a rotating axis;

a backrest frame that attaches to the rear end of the seat frame;

and a hinged footrest assembly that attaches underneath the seat frame;

where the seat frame, the backrest frame, and the footrest assembly form a tilting unit that pivots, with respect to the L-shaped side bases, on the axis of rotation.
The reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair, in accordance with claim 6, further comprising an actuating device located behind the footrest assembly and mechanically attaches to the seat frame to provoke the movement of the tilting unit, with respect to the bases, from an initial position to a maximum reclining position known as zero gravity; where, additionally, the hinged footrest assembly extends/retracts as a result of the pivoting movement of the tilting unit.
The reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair, in accordance with claim 6, wherein each L-shaped side base frame is mounted with anchoring elements to the surface of the tread, where each L-shaped side base frame comprises leveling elements that project along and are supported by the surface of the riser to level the assembly.
The reclining mechanism assembly for a recliner chair, in accordance with claim 6, wherein the tilting means of the seat frame consist of a pair of rotating elements located at each side of the seat frame and attach to the side bases.
An assembly system of at least two reclining chair mechanisms to be mounted at the intersection between a portion of a tread and a portion of a riser of a bleacher; the assembly system comprises: a series connection using three side base frames for at least two reclining mechanism assemblies, as in claim 2, wherein one of the side base frames is used as a central base to join both assemblies.