What is a recliner chair and what does astronauts have to do with it?

Did you know that a chair can help you touch a little the history of space flight? No, not a simple chair that occupies an immodest area somewhere in the corner of the apartment, but a recliner. How are space and furniture related? Let's first figure out what a recliner chair is.

The purpose of the recliner chair can be guessed by its name. Translated from English reclain - "lean back", "lie, lounging." After such an explanation, it becomes approximately clear what is at stake, but this is not all that such a chair can do.

What is a recliner chair

Unlike our usual static four-legged counterparts and computer chairs, huge recliner chairs are created not just for sitting - they are designed to relax their owner as much as possible. For this, from one to several transformation motors are built into the upholstered furniture, which regulate the position of a person's back, legs and head.

As intended, this is the ideal orthopedic furniture. Each bend of this chair repeats the anatomical features of the human body and supports the spine well in any position.

By changing the inclination of the backrest and headrest, you can relieve a tired back, relieve tension from the cervical spine and relax your legs by placing them on a special front leg rest - this is especially important for the elderly.

The history of the invention of recliners

The first recliner was invented back in 1928! And it was a reclining chair. Brothers Edward Knabush and Edwin Shoemaker collected it in a garage in Monroe, Michigan. They later founded the Floral City Furniture Company, which today is called La-Z-Boy Incorporated.

The brothers planned to make a telephone table with a reclining back, but in the end they settled on an option for a lounge chair. The cousins patented their invention three years later - it was already a soft chair, upholstered with fabric.

New furniture became widespread, but until the 70s of the XX century, recliners were used mainly as garden furniture. Later, they gradually began to move to the living rooms of American homes, where they were used as furniture for watching TV or contemplating fire in the fireplace.

Later, NASA began to develop its own recliner chairs. They were faced with the task of finding the most optimal resting position for astronauts who have been in orbit for a long time. In the course of experiments, they found out - it is best when the legs are raised above the level of the heart. Due to this position, the outflow of blood from the legs is ensured and the work of the heart muscle is facilitated.

Types of recliner mechanisms

With the advent of new technologies, the "stuffing" of the armchairs gradually became more complicated, until it came to a modern look. Nowadays, these chairs are controlled by different mechanisms:

  • The mechanical recliner is activated by pressing a button or lever on the side of the furniture. After that, the footrest extends from the front of the chair, and the back begins to lower under the pressure of the human body. To return to the starting position, simply raise yourself up in the chair and press your feet on the footrest.
  • The electric recliner is controlled by a special control panel. It can be wired or battery operated. To change the position of a chair with such a drive, no effort is needed. And when a person gets up from such a model, he does not need to return the back to its original position - it rises itself after the owner.
  • The mechanical glider is an optional feature that can be retrofitted to any chair. With its help, the chair can be rotated around its axis by 360 ° or the furniture can be transformed into a rocking chair.
  • Electric glider - can also be installed on any chair and turns it into a rocking chair and provides 360 ° rotation. The swing amplitude is set by special algorithms.

An important difference between the mechanisms is that in a mechanical chair, the back can be fixed in seven predetermined positions, but there are usually three main modes.

  • The first one, which is also the original one - the back is almost straight, the platform for the legs is retracted into a special place. It looks like an ordinary armchair, only a very large one.
  • The second is "TV mode", which is very convenient to watch TV. There is already a platform for the legs, and the back is tilted back by about 110 °. The eyes follow what is happening on the screen, and the body rests after a hard day.
  • The third mode is complete relaxation. The backrest is almost parallel to the floor and the footrest rises even higher.

In the electric recliner, you can adjust the position of the backrest and footrests without restrictions and fine-tune the chair to suit your needs.

Interestingly, in the past, mechanical recliners were more attractive in terms of price, so the choice fell on them more often. Now, both electric and mechanical chairs can be purchased at about the same price, from 30 and 35 thousand rubles, respectively.

One of the main reasons to buy a mechanical electric recliner is the lack of an outlet or the ability to stretch an extension cord where a person is going to install it.

Advantages and disadvantages of a recliner

In addition to those already described, recliner chairs have many more advantages:

The first and most obvious advantage of recliners is that they are tailored to preserve human health. In such a chair everyone rests - the spine relaxes, with the help of an adjustable headrest excess tension is relieved from the cervical spine, and the platform helps to relax the strained leg muscles.

Depending on the wishes and capabilities of the buyer, you can purchase a chair that will entertain the owner with additional functions. Someone will appreciate the possibility of warming up or be impressed by a relaxing massage.

The ability to turn it into an electric rocking chair! Young mothers like this regime - leaning back in this chair it is more convenient to feed the baby and rock him in a pleasant rhythm.

Many recliner chairs have control panels to change position in space with literally one touch or push. And this is good for relaxation - with the proper skill, you can switch from one mode to another with a single tap or touch.

Recliners are also universal: they can be delivered at home, bought for an office, or even used in the country! In general, comfort for yourself can be provided anywhere.

Some manufacturers have kept pace with the times and provided laptop stands in such chairs. But this is already some kind of working option, and not about relaxation.

And their biggest drawback is their cumbersomeness. Well, the truth is, these are huge chairs that can not be put everywhere. And you always need to take into account the presence of a reclining back! Otherwise, the unsuccessfully located wall right behind it will hopelessly block this vital function.

What is it from

Another important detail to consider when purchasing or ordering a recliner chair is the materials from which it is made.

As a rule, hard wood, steel or aluminum are used to create the frame of the chair. Such a base guarantees that the chair will last a long time and will not break with constant use of mechanisms.

Depending on the preferences of the future owner of the chair, you can choose a harder or softer chair. Molded foam is used as padding for these pieces of furniture. Unlike other fillers, it retains its elasticity and shape even after several years of use. The softness of the chair is created by the use of Dacron fiber, the amount of which in the seats and backrests can also be tracked to provide comfortable support for the body. For additional elasticity, special springs are mounted in the backrests and seats.

Different materials can be used as upholstery of an armchair: leather or fabric. Most people consider natural leather to be the most practical material. This opinion is widespread due to the fact that it is easiest to clean it of any dirt - literally wipe it with a soft cloth. However, leather upholstery is not always pleasant to the body - especially in the summer or if you sit on a chair with bare legs.

Alcantara can become a pleasant and no less practical alternative to natural leather. This is a type of artificial suede that feels much more pleasant on the skin and is no less easy to clean from dirt.

In any case, a recliner chair is about health and comfort, which will undoubtedly have a positive effect on the mood and working spirit. Recently, they have become more and more affordable, so it is not a problem to purchase something suitable for yourself in an acceptable budget. Or make to order specifically for your wishes and requirements.

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