US20140306502A1

US20140306502A1 - Lounge Chair

Info

Publication number: US20140306502A1
Application number: US13/986,210
Authority: US
Inventors: Lim Manuel; David M. Kroll; Kevin G. Abelbeck
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-04-12
Filing date: 2013-04-12
Publication date: 2014-10-16

Abstract

A lounge chair may include a seat including an arcuate rail supported by a pair of roller axles rotatably coupled to a base frame. The roller axles may include a pair of rollers adapted to receive the arcuate rail, thereby allowing movement of the seat relative to the base frame such that the seat may be altered from an upright position to a reclining position. A top roller axle may be provided which may be movably coupled to the base frame and include a pair of rollers also adapted to receive the arcuate rail. Altering the relative position of the top roller axle to the base frame may alter the force applied to the arcuate rail by the rollers and therefore the frictional force between the arcuate rail and the base frame, thereby changing the resistance to movement of the seat relative to the base frame.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to furniture and, more particularly, to chairs capable of reclining about a point at or near the center of gravity of a user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Reclining chairs offer comfort and relaxation in a variety of settings, from out by the pool to in the living room. Reclining in a chair allows a decrease in pressure along the lower legs and lower back of the user. In addition, reclining allows the spine of the user to decompress, also increasing the comfort to the user.
The typical reclining chair includes an upper back, which supports the back and head of the user and may be adapted to recline to an angle with the horizontal that is less than 90°. In some cases it may be desirable for the user to not extend their hips to put the user in a supine position, but rather to rotate the entire body maintaining a seated position but decreasing the angle between the upper back and the horizontal to less than 90°.
A reclining chair in which the entire seat frame of the chair does not alter his orientation with respect to itself, only with respect to the horizontal, may have several advantages over a chair that moves in segments, each changing angle with respect to the other segment. One main advantage may be a reduction in cost of manufacture of a chair, in which the entire seat frame maintains a set orientation with respect to itself, yet the entire seat frame may be able to recline. Such a system may require a single point of movement of the seat frame relative to a base frame, which may be positioned on the ground. In a chair where the seatback reclines relative to the seat bottom, which supports the legs and hips of the user, and a lower leg portion, which supports the lower legs and feet of the user, may require multiple pivot points of these segments of the seat, each must be pivotally mounted to the base frame or an adjacent seat segment.
It may be difficult to align an axis of rotation of each of the segments of the chair to the corresponding transverse axes of the body. If the axes of the chair do not aligned with axes of the body, the body will slide on the chair as the chair changes his orientation with respect to the ground or another seat section. This additional movement may be uncomfortable to the user as the user changes the orientation of the chair from an upright to a reclined position or vice versa.
With a chair in which the seat frame maintains a consistent orientation and the entire seat frame is able to recline from an upright to a reclined position, the entire body and the seat frame moves as one. In doing so, the body does not slide on the surface of the seat, and therefore reclining in such a seat may be more comfortable as opposed to reclining in a chair with individual segments. Furthermore, if the axis of rotation of the seat frame runs through or near the center of gravity of the combination of the seat frame and the user, moving from an upright to a reclined position and back to an upright position may require virtually no effort from the user. There is no “work” done because when moved from a reclined position to an upright position, the center of gravity of the combination of the user and the chair has not moved up or down. This means there is no change in the potential energy of the combination of the user and the chair regardless of the reclining orientation of the user relative to the ground. With this allows for ease of movement, but it may restrict the ability of a user to stay in any one position. For that, a brake or form of resistance to movement may be desired to allow the user a resistance to movement from a desirable seating position.
It should, therefore, be appreciated that there is a need for chair which may incline or decline with minimal effort to the user and may be adjusted by a user to conform to the ease of movement desired by that user. The present invention fulfills this need and others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention may provide a reclining chair, comprising a base frame adapted to be supported on a rigid surface and a seat adapted to support a user in a position where the hips and upper legs of the user are supported on a base portion of the seat. The seat may further include an arcuate rail positioned below the base portion. A pair of roller axles may be provided, each including rollers rotatably coupled to the base frame about a long axis of the roller axles, the rollers adapted to receive and support the arcuate rail of the seat. A top roller may be provided including a roller rotatably coupled to the base frame about a long axis of the top roller axle, the long axis of the top roller axle being substantially parallel to the long axis of the pair of roller axels. The roller of the top roller axle may be adapted to receive the arcuate rail of the seat on a side opposite to the pair of roller axels. The top roller axle may include a screw mount enabling adjustable positioning of the top roller axle relative to the base frame, whereby articulation of the screw mount alters a compressive force between the roller of the top roller axel and the arcuate rail, thereby offering resistance to movement of the seat relative to the base frame.
In an embodiment of the invention, the pair of roller axels may be positioned below the arcuate rail, supporting the seat by way of the rollers of the pair of roller axels. The top roller axle may be positioned between the pair of roller axels, where the top roller axel may be positioned above the arcuate rail. The base frame may include a left side frame and a right side frame, where the left side frame and the right side frame may each include a pair bearing supports adapted to receive a first end of each of the pair of roller axles, thereby enabling rotational support of the pair of roller axles. The rollers on the roller axles may be rigidly coupled to the roller axles, where the roller axles may be rotatably coupled to the base frame.
The seat may include a stop positioned on a distal end of the arcuate rail. The stop may be adapted to engage a roller of the pair of roller axles, thereby limiting the movement of the seat relative to the base frame. The stop may be a member releasably attached to the arcuate rail or the stop may be a structural element of the seat frame.
The screw mount of the top roller axle may be comprised of a pair of threaded screws received by a pair of holes in the top roller axle, the holes may include a central axis positioned perpendicular to the long axis of the top roller axle. The pair of threaded screws may be positioned proximate to distal ends of the top roller axle.
The base frame may include a mounting bracket adapted to receive a threaded screw of the screw mount. The mounting bracket may include a threaded portion adapted to engage the threaded screw, thereby advancing the threaded screw may bias the top roller axle in a direction toward the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket may be positioned between the base frame and the seat, thereby the threaded screw may be accessible while the user is on the seat and may be adjusted by the user while seated in the seat. The rollers on the top roller axle may be rotatably coupled to the top roller axle.
An exemplary method for adjusting a reclining chair is disclosed, the chair may include the elements as previously described, the method may include the steps of positioning the user on the seat, reclining the seat to a reclined position, providing an adjustment wrench, inserting the adjustment wrench between the base frame and the seat and coupling with the screw mount; and adjusting the screw mount to vary the force applied by the rollers of the top roller axle with the arcuate rail of the seat. The method may further include the steps of coupling the adjustment wrench with the threaded screws of the screw mount; and adjusting the screw mount by rotating the threaded screws to alter the force applied by the rollers of the top roller axle with the arcuate rail of the seat
For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain advantages of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages can be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments and drawings, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of chair incorporating an adjustable reclining mechanism.

FIG. 2 is an isometric rear view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the chair of FIG. 1, showing section line 4-4.

FIG. 4 is a section view of the chair of FIG. 3, cut along line 4-4.

FIG. 5 is a section view of the chair of FIG. 3, with the seat in a slightly reclined position and illustrating the approximate center of gravity (CG) of a user that would be positioned in the chair.

FIG. 6 is sectioned view of the chair of FIG. 5, with the seat moved into a fully reclined position.

FIG. 7 is a lower right view of the chair of FIG. 1 illustrating the adjustable reclining mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a detailed view of the adjustable reclining mechanism of FIG. 7 cut along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the adjustable reclining mechanism of FIG. 8 cut along line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a cropped isometric left side view of a chair incorporating a lever action adjustable reclining mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a detail view of the lever action adjustable reclining mechanism of FIG. 10, cut along line 11-11.

FIG. 12 is a cropped isometric lower view of the lever action adjustable reclining mechanism of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a detailed view of the lever action adjustable reclining mechanism of FIG. 12 cut along line 13-13.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the lever action adjustable reclining mechanism of FIG. 10 shown in an unlocked position.

FIG. 15 is a side view of the lever action adjustable reclining mechanism of FIG. 14 in a locked position.

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of the bottom of an adjustable reclining chair shown from the front left of the chair, the chair using a fluid braking system.

FIG. 17 is a cropped section view of the side of the adjustable reclining chair of FIG. 16 showing the fluid braking system in more detail with the chair in a reclined position.

FIG. 18 is a rear angled view of the chair of FIG. 16, shown with the seat in an upright position with the cylinder of the fluid braking system in an extended position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the illustrative drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a reclining chair 10 including a seat 12 supported on a base frame 14. The seat 12 may include a back portion 16 adapted to support the back, shoulders and head of a user. The seat 12 may also include a base portion 18, and a lower leg portion 20, the base portion 20 may be adapted to support the hips and lower legs of the user. The lower leg portion 20 may also support the feet of the user. Beneath the base portion 18, and arcuate rail 22 may be coupled to the seat 12.
The chair 10 may also include a base frame 14. The base frame 14 may include a left side frame 26 and a right side frame 28. One or more crossbars 30 may be used to couple the left side frame 26 to the right side frame 28. In addition, the base frame 14 may support a first roller axle 32 and a second roller axle 34. The first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34 may each include a pair of rollers 36. The rollers 36 may be adapted to receive and support the arcuate rail 22 with the first roller axle 32 in front of the second roller axle 34. In this embodiment, the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34 may be movably coupled to the base frame 14, wherein a first end 38 of each of the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34 are each received by a pair of bearing supports 40, each coupled to the left side frame 26. In a similar manner, a second end 42 of each of the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34 may be received by a pair bearing supports 40 on the right side frame 28. In this way the rollers 36 of the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34 may be rigidly mounted to the axles (32 & 34), and are rotatably coupled to the base frame 14.
The top roller axle 44 may also be coupled to the base frame 14 and include a longitudinal axis 24 passing through the center of the long dimension of the top roller axle 44. The top roller axle 44 may be positioned between the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34. The first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34 may be positioned so as to support the arcuate rail 22 of the seat 12. As such, the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34 are positioned under the arcuate rail 22. The top roller axle 44 may then be positioned opposite to the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34, with respect to the arcuate rail 22. By doing so, the top roller axle 44 may capture the arcuate rail by supporting it on an opposite side of the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34.
Movement of the seat 12 of the chair 10 relative to the base frame 14 is shown in FIGS. 3-6. In FIG. 3 a section of the chair 10, including the seat 12, is shown cut about a midline of the chair 10. In FIG. 4, the seat 12 of the chair 10 is shown in an upright position. The arcuate rail 22 is supported by the rollers 36 of the first roller axel 32 and the second roller axle 34. The roller 36 of the top roller axel 44 may be positioned on top of the arcuate rail 22, the combination allowing the arcuate rail to roll, being guided by the rollers 36 of the first roller axle 32, second roller axle 34 and top roller axle 44. Rotation of the seat 12 relative to the base frame 14 is shown in FIGS. 4-6. The upright position of FIG. 4 is reclined slightly in FIG. 5 and more completely in FIG. 6. In this embodiment, the seat 12 is shown to maintain a consistent shape, the entire seat 12 rotating about the base frame 14 as supported on the arcuate rail 22. In this manner the center of rotation of the seat 12 relative to the base frame 14 is that of the radius of the arcuate rail 22, as is shown in FIG. 5.
The degree of rotation of the seat 12 relative to the base frame 14 may be controlled by one or more stops. A stop may take to form of a member releasably attached to the arcuate rail, such as a removable bumper stop 46. In one embodiment the removable bumper stop 46 may be a rubber bumper, which may be screwed or otherwise coupled to the arcuate rail 22. The removable bumper stop 46 may be used to limit the displacement of the arcuate rail 22 relative to the base frame 14 by providing interference when it contacts a roller 36. To minimize any potential damage from contact between the replaceable bumper stop 46 and the roller 36, a pliable material such as rubber may be used to construct the removable bumper stop 46. An alternative may be to use a structural element stop 48, shown here as part of the frame of the seat 12. One advantage to this is there is no part that can be inadvertently removed, as the structural element stop 48 is a part of the frame of the seat 12. There may also be a decreased cost in using a structural element stop 48 because no additional part is added and there is no additional assembly time required, compared to using a removable bumper stop 46.
It may be desirable to locate the arcuate rail 22 on the seat 12 such that the center of radius of the bend of the arcuate rail 22 is at or near the center of gravity 50 of a combination of the seat 12 and a user positioned in the seat 12. If the center of the bend of the arcuate rail 22 coincides with the center of gravity (CG) 50 of the user and seat 12, movement of the angle of the seat 12 relative to the ground will not cause the center of gravity 50 of the user and seat 12 to be displaced. If no vertical displacement occurs, there is no work done. The outcome is the change in angular orientation of the seat 12 with the user relative to the ground will require only enough force to overcome the friction provided by the rollers 36 on the arcuate rail 22 as the arcuate rail 22 rotates the rollers 36 when reclining the seat 12.
Altering the frictional force of the rollers 36 on the arcuate rail 22 may be accomplished by manipulating the normal force between the rollers 36 and the arcuate rail 22. As is illustrated in FIGS. 7-9, one method may be to alter the relative position of the top roller axel 44 relative to the base frame 14. FIG. 8 is a detail view of a reclining mechanism of the chair 10 shown along line 8-8, and even more detail is shown in FIG. 9, cut along line 9-9 in FIG. 8 and focusing on an end of the top roller axle 44 being coupled to the base frame 14. Here the top roller axle 44 may include a pair of holes 52 in the top roller axle, the holes 52 including a central axis positioned perpendicular to the long axis of the top roller axle 44. What is shown in FIG. 9 is only one side but such an arrangement may be used on both ends of the top roller axle 44. A screw mount 54 may in include a threaded screw 56, which may be received by each hole 52 of the pair of holes 52 in the top roller axle 44. The base frame 14 may include a mounting bracket 58 that is adapted to receive the threaded screw 56. By advancing the threaded screw 56 into the mounting bracket 58, the top roller axle 44 may be biased down toward the arcuate rail 22. The more the threaded screw 56 is advanced into the mounting bracket 58, the greater the force the roller 36 of the top roller axle 44 is applied to the arcuate rail 22. Therefore, the normal force applied to the arcuate rail 22 may be modified by the tension generated by the threaded screw 56 has applied to the top roller axle 44.
In this form of the invention, where the top roller axle 44 is coupled to the base frame 14 such that it does not allow for rotation of the top roller axle 44 with respect to the base frame 14, the rollers 36 may be rotatably coupled to the top roller axle 44 so that the rollers 36 may rotate about the top roller axle 44 as driven by relative movement of the arcuate rail 22. This freedom to movement may be accomplished by providing a bearing surface on the top roller axle 44 which articulates with the roller 36. This may be done in any manner that is common in the art and is therefore not detailed here. In a similar manner, as an alternative to what is disclosed here, the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34 may be rigidly coupled to the base frame 14 and the respective rollers 36 may be rotatably coupled to the first roller axle 32 and the second roller axle 34.
Adjustment of the threaded screw 56 may be accomplished by inserting an adjustment wrench 60 between the base frame 14 and the seat 12. A typical placement of the location of the threaded screw 56 may be seen in FIG. 3. An advantage to positioning the threaded screw 56 such that it is accessible between the base frame 14 and the seat 12 is that a user may be positioned on the seat 12 and still have access to the threaded screws 56 (one threaded screw 56 on each of the right and left sides of the user). This may allow a user to adjust the normal force applied by the roller 36 of the top roller axle 56 to the arcuate rail 22, and therefore adjust the frictional force required to recline the seat 12 relative to the base frame 14. In doing so, the user may adjust the reclining mechanism of the chair 10 to that user's desired force and another user may adjust the force to their desired setting quickly and easily, each while being positioned in the seat 12.
An alternative to the threaded screw 56 may be in the form of a lever action system for the reclining mechanism is shown in FIGS. 10-15. In FIG. 10 a base frame 14 is shown where the arcuate rail 22 is captured between the rollers 36, as previously disclosed. As an alternative to the threaded screw 56, as in FIGS. 7-9, a lever action system 62 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 11-13. The top roller axle 44 may include holes 52 in the distal ends of the top roller axle 44, as previously disclosed. Here, a compression pin 64 may be received by the holes 52, and also by a frame guide 66. The frame guide 66 may be securely coupled to the base frame 14 and include a guide hole 68, to provide a linear and controlled vertical movement of the compression pin 64 relative to the base frame 14. A spring 70 may be captured between the compression pin 64 and the top of the top roller axle 44. A handle 72 may be pivotally coupled to the compression pin 64, and also to a link bar 74. The link bar 74 may be pivotally coupled to the base frame 14 such that rotation of the handle 72 provides angular displacement of the link bar 74, and therefore a linear displacement of the compression pin 64, compressing the spring 70 against the top roller axle 44.
The compression pin 64 may be limited in the range of its movement away from the top roller axle 44 by coupling a snap ring 76 to a distal end of the compression pin 64, thereby positioning the snap ring 76 on a side of the frame guide 66 which is opposite to the top roller axle 44. The lever action system 62 may include a stop 78 coupled to the base frame 14. This may be more clearly shown in FIG. 13 and in both positions in FIGS. 14-15.
In FIGS. 14-15 a cutaway is shown, with a portion of the base frame 14 having been removed to more clearly show the movement of the lever action system 62. In FIG. 14 the lever action system 62 is shown in an unlocked state. Here, the handle 72 is shown in a relative down position in the compression pin 64 may be elevated due to the action of the spring 70 pushing up on the compression pin 64. The distance the compression pin 64 may travel upward away from the frame guide 66 may be limited by the snap ring 76 attached to the bottom of the compression pin 64. In this position, the top roller axle 44 is relatively unloaded and therefore a lower degree of friction may exist between the roller 36 and the arcuate rail 22. The lower degree of friction between the roller 36 and the arcuate rail 22 may allow movement of the arcuate rail 22 relative to the top roller axle 44, thus allowing the seat 12 to recline or sit up as desired by the user.
To lock the seat 12 in a desired position, the handle 72 maybe actuated in an upward direction as is shown in FIG. 15. Actuation of the handle 72 may cause the link bar 74 to be angularly displaced relative to the base frame 14. The link bar 74 may come into contact with the stop 78 on the base frame 14. As is shown here, the position of the link bar 74 and handle 72 relative to the top of the compression pin 64 may be such that the handle link pivot 80 is now positioned slightly over center, and therefore passed a line connecting a compression pin pivot 82 and a link bar frame pivot 84. The upward force of the spring 70 on the compression pin 64 may be transferred into the handle 72 and link bar 74, pushing the link bar 74 against the stop 78. This over center action may lock the handle 72 in this upward position while providing a compressive force on the top roller axle 44, which may provide a greater compression load between the roller 36 and the arcuate rail 22 relative to then the handle 72 was in the lower and unlocked position. The higher frictional force provided by the greater compression load between the roller 36 and the arcuate rail 22 may resist movement of the arcuate rail 22 relative to the roller 36. This resistance to movement may lock the seat 12 in any position relative to the base frame 14, as may be desired by the user.
Another alternative is a fluid braking system 86 as is shown in FIGS. 16-18. FIGS. 16-17 show the seat 12 is a reclined position. The first roller axle 32 and second roller axle 34 support rollers 36, which support the arcuate rail 22 of the seat 12, consistent with what is described above. The top roller axle 44 may support a roller 36 to capture the top of the arcuate rail 22, and the top roller axle 44 may be adjustably coupled to the base frame 14 to account for normal manufacturing tolerances. To brake or resist movement of the seat 12 relative to the base frame 14 and stop it in any position, the fluid braking system 86 may include a locking cylinder 88, which may be coupled to the seat 12 by way of a seat frame member 90. An opposite end of the locking cylinder 88 may be coupled to a base frame bar 92. The base frame bar 92 may include a coupling 94, which may be pivotally coupled to the base frame bar 92. This may allow for the locking cylinder 88 to rotate with respect to the base frame 14 as the seat 12 moves between the reclined and upright positions.
The locking cylinder 88 may be of the group including a gas spring, a hydraulic damper, a hydraulic shock or any similar fluid system. A gas spring may use a compressible fluid such as nitrogen gas and a piston in the cylinder 88 compresses the gas to act as a spring. A valve may be used to control the movement of the piston of the cylinder 88 and therefore lock the cylinder 88 in any number of positions. The hydraulic damper may include a piston with a non-compressible fluid such as oil, which is shuttled past the piston. A valve may be closed to shut off the fluid flow and therefore lock the cylinder 88 in any position as well as opened to allow movement of the piston. A hydraulic shock may operate similar to a hydraulic damper and including a spring to bias the piston in an extended position.
The fluid braking system 86 as shown in FIGS. 16-18 may include a valve 96, which may be positioned on an end of the piston rod 98, which may include a piston on the end of the piston rod 98 covered by the body of the locking cylinder 88. The valve 96 may be actuated remotely by way of a cable 100, with an actuation knob 102 on a distal end of the cable 100. The actuation knob 102 may be mounted to the base frame 14 such that it may be accessible to a user when positioned in the seat 12. The user may press the actuation knob 102, which may open the valve 96 by way of the cable 100. This may allow the piston rod 98 to move in the locking cylinder 88, thereby changing the overall length of the locking cylinder 88. When the actuation knob 102 is released, the locking cylinder 88 may be locked, thus resisting movement of the piston rod 98 of the locking cylinder 88, thereby locking the overall length of the locking cylinder 88. This may be illustrated as the piston rod 98 is received in the locking cylinder 88 in FIGS. 16-17, when the seat 12 is in a reclined position, and the piston rod 98 is extended when the seat 12 is in an upright position, as shown in FIG. 18. In this way the locking cylinder 88 may be used to secure the seat 12 in upright, reclined or partially reclined positions relative to the base frame 14 and allow for adjustment of the seat 12 while the user in positioned in the seat 12.
The foregoing detailed description of the present invention is provided for purposes of illustration, and it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the particular embodiment shown. The embodiments may provide different capabilities and benefits, depending on the configuration used to implement key features of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A reclining chair, comprising:

a base frame adapted to be supported on a rigid surface;

a seat adapted to support a user in a position where the hips and upper legs of the user are supported on a base portion of the seat, the seat further including an arcuate rail positioned below the base portion;

a pair of roller axles each including rollers rotatably coupled to the base frame about a long axis of the roller axles, the rollers adapted to receive and support the arcuate rail of the seat; and

a top roller axle including a roller rotatably coupled to the base frame about a long axis of the top roller axle, the long axis of the top roller axle being substantially parallel to the long axis of the pair of roller axels, the roller of the top roller axle adapted to receive the arcuate rail of the seat on a side opposite to the pair of roller axels, the top roller axle including a mount enabling adjustable positioning of the top roller axle relative to the base frame, whereby articulation of the mount alters a compressive force between the roller of the top roller axel and the arcuate rail.

2. The reclining chair according to claim 1, wherein the pair of roller axels is positioned below the arcuate rail and supporting the seat by way of the rollers of the pair of roller axels.

3. The reclining chair according to claim 1, wherein the top roller axle is positioned between the pair of roller axels.

4. The reclining chair according to claim 1, wherein the top roller axel is positioned above the arcuate rail.

5. The reclining chair according to claim 1, wherein the base frame is comprised of a left side frame and a right side frame.

6. The reclining chair according to claim 5,.wherein the left side frame includes a pair bearing supports adapted to receive a first end of each of the pair of roller axles, thereby enabling rotational support of the pair of roller axles.

7. The reclining chair according to claim 6, wherein the right side frame includes a pair bearing supports adapted to receive a second end of each of the pair of roller axles, thereby enabling rotational support of the pair of roller axles.

8. The reclining chair according to claim 1, wherein the seat further comprises a stop positioned on a distal end of the arcuate rail, the stop adapted to engage a roller of the pair of roller axles, thereby limiting the movement of the seat relative to the base frame.

9. The reclining chair according to claim 8, wherein the stop is a member releasably attached to the arcuate rail.

10. The reclining chair according to claim 8, wherein the stop is a structural element of the seat frame.

11. The reclining chair according to claim 1, wherein the mount of the top roller axle is comprised of a pair of threaded screws received by a pair of holes in the top roller axle, the holes including a central axis positioned perpendicular to the long axis of the top roller axle.

12. The reclining chair according to claim 1-, wherein the mount is comprised of a compression pin received by a hole in the top roller axle and a frame guide coupled to the base frame, the compression pin being actuated by a handle coupled to the base frame.

13. The reclining chair according to claim 12, wherein the handle is coupled to the base frame by way of a link bar which is pivotally coupled to the base frame and the handle.

14. The reclining chair according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid brake with a first end coupled to the seat and a second end coupled to the base frame, the fluid brake including a valve adapted to alter the force required to alter the overall length of the fluid brake.

15. The reclining chair according to claim 14, wherein the fluid brake includes an actuation knob adapted to remotely actuate the valve of the fluid brake.

16. The reclining chair according to claim 1, wherein the base frame includes a mounting bracket adapted to receive a threaded screw of the mount.

17. The reclining chair according to claim 16, wherein the mounting bracket includes a threaded portion adapted to engage the threaded screw, thereby advancing the threaded screw will bias the top roller axle in a direction toward the mounting bracket.

18. The reclining chair according to claim 16, wherein the mounting bracket is positioned between the base frame and the seat, thereby the threaded screw is accessible while the user is on the seat and may be adjusted by the user while seated in the seat.

19. A reclining chair of the type that allows a user to recline or sit upright with minimal displacement of the center of gravity of the user, the chair including:

a seat frame including an arcuate rail;

a base frame including a pair of roller axles, each axle including a pair of rollers, the rollers being rotatably coupled to the base frame about a longitudinal axis of that roller axle and adapted to support the arcuate rail; and

a top roller axle including a longitudinal axis, the top roller axle being adjustably coupled to the base frame with the longitudinal axis of the top roller axle substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the roller axles, the rollers of the top roller axle adapted to allow for displacement of the top roller axle perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the top roller axle, the top roller axle including a pair of rollers adapted to receive the arcuate rail on an opposite side relative to the roller axles, whereby the top roller axle is adjustably coupled to the base frame so as to apply varying force to the arcuate rail which is supported by the pair of roller axles.

20. The reclining chair according to claim 19, wherein the top roller axle is adjustably coupled to the base frame by way of a mount selected from the group consisting of a threaded screw and a compression pin, the mount coupled to the base frame and adapted to apply a controlled force to the top roller axle.