Nap Nanny baby recliner deaths prompt recall, lawsuit


December 6, 2012 - 05:13 am


WASHINGTON (AP) - The government is taking action against the makers of a portable baby recliner called the Nap Nanny after five infant deaths.
(Photo: CPSC)
The Consumer Product Safety Commission filed an administrative complaint Wednesday alleging that the new model of the Nap Nanny, called the Chill, and two earlier versions "pose a substantial risk of injury and death to infants."
The commission is seeking an order that would require Nap Nanny maker Baby Matters LLC of Berwyn, Pa., to notify the public about what the agency deems a serious product defect.
The agency also wants the company to offer consumers a full refund. Baby Matters went out of business a month ago, according to an email from the company.
On its website is a message from owner and founder Leslie Gudel that says, "We do not believe the complaint has merit and stand behind the safety of our product when used as instructed."
She adds that "no infant using the Nap Nanny properly has ever suffered an injury requiring medical attention."
Some of the cases involved recliners that were placed in a crib, which the company has urged parents not to do.
The Nap Nanny should be placed on the floor with the harness secured.
The first two versions of the foam recliner were recalled in July 2010 when the agency was aware of one death and 22 reports of infants hanging out or falling over the side of the Nap Nanny even though most of the infants had been placed in the recliner's harness. Since then, the agency has learned of 4 more deaths.
Four are linked to the first versions of the recliner, and one to the newer model. In all, the CPSC says it has received over 70 reports of children nearly falling out of the recliners.
The commission filed the complaint after discussions with the company broke down over a recall plan.
The Nap Nanny was designed to mimic the curves of a baby car seat, elevating an infant slightly to help reduce reflux, gas, stuffiness or other problems.
Five thousand Nap Nanny Generation One and 50,000 Generation Two models were sold between 2009 and early 2012.
About 100,000 Chill models have been sold since January 2011.

Recliner Lift Chairs - Their Variations & Functions

By: Christoffer X Altesino

 

 Recliner lift chairs are a group of chairs in the lift chair family. The chairs are equipped with a powered system to lift and can hence push the chair from its basal position upwards, thus enabling the user to come up to a standing posture. Apart from the lifting mechanism, a recliner lift chair is also capable of flattening out or reclining up to certain angles, which gives the user more comfortable positions to rest or sleep. Such chairs are especially beneficial to the aged people, those suffering from infirmity or the people with disability providing greater comfort and flexibility. The chairs start relatively cheap, but more sophisticated features invariably involve bigger price tags.

Most recliner lift chairs have a capacity to handle weights up to 450 pounds. Some can even carry load of up to 700 pounds. Prices start around $400 in the USA and can even exceed $2000 for a state-of-the art leather luxury chair. Chief manufacturers are Pride Mobility, Golden Technologies, Medlift, Action Lift Chair (ALC, Inc), etc.


Recliner lift chairs come in several varieties. A chair having dual positions has a lifted position and a slightly reclined "TV" position for reading, relaxing or watching television. The user's back and thighs stay at an angle of about 90 degrees to each other in the reclined position. Such chairs cannot be slanted enough for the purpose of sleeping. A chair having one more position, i.e. 3, has an additional full recline position of approximately 135 degrees, which would allow most people to sleep comfortably. An innumerable position recliner lift chair can go fully flat, with the back and feet sections being able to move independently. It may even allow the so called Trendelenburg posture, where the feet stay at a height above the heart's height.

A potential hazard with a recliner lift chair lies with its strong grip formed by the frame and the motor. Unsuspecting children and pets run the risk of getting caught and crushed. After reported infant deaths in Oklahoma, USA and Manchester, UK, a safety standard for the product has been passed in order to alleviate any risk of injury/ death caused due to this chair (BS 8474). Still, not all manufacturers have attempted to fulfill the safety standards. Recently, La-Z-Boy, a New York stock exchange listed US manufacturer has modified its range of recliner lift chairs to meet the UK safety standard.

http://www.articlesnatch.com



Fine Reclining

Today’s Best Power Recliners & Other Motion Furniture

Power recliners are slimming down in price and in size. How­ever, the cost of leather is soaring, and manufacturers are searching for alternatives that can duplicate the look.
By Sharon Stangenes
Article Published:
Best Buy Recommendations: Current


Are you literally stuck in the rut of your cushy, oversize power recliner? If you’re shopping for a sleeker recliner to spruce up the family room or to replace Dad’s old brown clunker, you’ll find more power-reclining options and more leather-substitute coverings than you would have found 4 years ago.
Trapped in an industry slump thanks to the moribund housing market and the sluggish economy, recliner-makers have introduced models that have slimmer, straighter and more tailored designs. That’s a turnabout from the market lineup in 2008, when we observed that overstuffed models were making a comeback. But all of the furniture experts and manufacturers with whom we spoke tell us that power recliners are so prevalent now that the emphasis is on making them as nimble and as sleek as possible. In fact, manufacturers even are introducing power-reclining elements into more models of love seats, sectional sets and sofas.
“Today, everyone wants power,” says Don Hunter of Catnapper, which is a recliner brand of Jackson Furniture.
POWERFUL. A big reason why power recliners have been able to slim down is because the electrical components that drive power-reclining mechanisms have shrunk so much in size and price in the past 4 years. A power-reclining mechanism can be added to most styles of recliners as an option, and a power version can cost as little as $100 more than the manual version.
That price drop—and an increased interest in creating home theaters around high-definition TVs in the family room and living room—has turned power recliners into a major focus of recliner manufacturers in the past 4 years, says Chip Piekenbrock of manufacturer Flexsteel. For consumers, this means that they can expect to find about 50 percent more models of power recliners on the market than were available in 2008. That’s notable when you consider that the business climate has been so shaky for furniture-makers that the well-known brand Berkline closed in 2011 and another well-known brand, Barcalounger, went through bankruptcy in 2010 (but remained open).
 
Four years ago, power recliners that were marketed for home-theater rooms that have large-screen HDTVs and elaborate lighting and sound systems looked like bulky versions of movie-theater seats. But today’s models are sleek, and they now often come with their own LED mood lights that are located under the seat. And features that are aimed at a home-theater audience are coming to lower priced models. You now can find power recliners that have storage pillows, illuminated cupholders, touch-control headrests, and coordinating trays and tables that start at about $900. Recliners that had those features 4 years ago started at roughly $1,300.
But manufacturers also are bolstering their products. Power-reclining mechanisms are becoming more rugged, and companies now are willing to back their power components with a longer warranty. Flexsteel and Klaussner are the first to include 5-year warranties for all of the electrical components that are in their motion recliners; typically 1–3 years is the industry norm. No other manufacturer has announced plans to follow Flexsteel and Klaussner’s lead with a 5-year warranty for electrical components, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see more companies extend their warranties in the next year or two.
And Flexsteel and Palliser now sell cordless battery units—typically a $299 option—to operate any of the power recliners that are in their lines. Having a battery unit allows you to place your power recliner anywhere in your home; it doesn’t have to be near an outlet. The rechargeable power packs work for 200–300 cycles of opening and closing, which means that they’ll work for up to 50 days based on average use before you need to recharge the power pack. The power pack beeps, like a cordless phone does, when it has to be plugged into an outlet to recharge. This is useful, so you can avoid getting stuck in your chair by a dead battery.

RELAX AND BE WELL. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the demand for power recliners has increased as the baby boomer generation entered its golden years. But companies aren’t aiming just at seniors.
“For young people in their 20s accustomed to power everything, there is a coolness in power furnishings,” says Lynne Schipp of Kittle’s Furniture, which is a retailer in Indianapolis.
LEATHER SOARS. The rising price of leather means that today’s leather recliners are $200 more expensive than they were a year ago.
LEATHER SOARS. The rising price of leather means that today’s leather recliners are $200 more expensive than they were a year ago.
We wouldn’t go so far as to say recliners are hip and happening, but they certainly can do more than they could 4 years ago. For example, American Leather has a model in a new collection that’s called Comfort Recliner ($5,200) that uses a unique, nonpowered weight-balanced mechanism that allows you to glide the recliner to any angle simply by leaning on the chair back without having to push on the arms. Unlike other recliners that are on the market, the back and the footrest work independently and can slide into an unlimited number of positions.
Four years ago, power-bed chaise recliners cost about $2,000. But Franklin now offers a power-bed chaise recliner that unfolds into a bed that has a memory-foam topper for $599, and a growing number of similar recliners are being built for people who have mobility problems but want more-mainstream styling. Four years ago, these chaise recliners were drab and overstuffed and looked like the sort of thing that you would find in a hospital room. But the new ones that we’ve seen in the past 2 years are much sleeker and actually can match the furniture in a modern or traditional living room.
Speaking of recliners that are pitched toward health issues, you might notice La-Z-Boy advertising its endorsement by American Chiropractic Association (ACA). In 2011, La-Z-Boy became the second recliner manufacturer to be so endorsed. (Premium recliner manufacturer Ekornes is the other.) That might sound good, but you should keep in mind that La-Z-Boy paid a fee to ACA to get this endorsement, and La-Z-Boy’s chairs didn’t meet any independent criteria to win the ACA label. In other words, the endorsement is nothing more than a marketing tool. As recliner manufacturers continue to aim at consumers who have health issues, we expect to see more companies use similar marketing ploys to try to lure buyers.

day’s Best Power Recliners & Other Motion Furniture

Fine Reclining

Today’s Best Power Recliners & Other Motion Furniture

Power recliners are slimming down in price and in size. How­ever, the cost of leather is soaring, and manufacturers are searching for alternatives that can duplicate the look.
Rourke
Are you literally stuck in the rut of your cushy, oversize power recliner? If you’re shopping for a sleeker recliner to spruce up the family room or to replace Dad’s old brown clunker, you’ll find more power-reclining options and more leather-substitute coverings than you would have found 4 years ago.
Trapped in an industry slump thanks to the moribund housing market and the sluggish economy, recliner-makers have introduced models that have slimmer, straighter and more tailored designs. That’s a turnabout from the market lineup in 2008, when we observed that overstuffed models were making a comeback. But all of the furniture experts and manufacturers with whom we spoke tell us that power recliners are so prevalent now that the emphasis is on making them as nimble and as sleek as possible. In fact, manufacturers even are introducing power-reclining elements into more models of love seats, sectional sets and sofas.
“Today, everyone wants power,” says Don Hunter of Catnapper, which is a recliner brand of Jackson Furniture.
POWERFUL. A big reason why power recliners have been able to slim down is because the electrical components that drive power-reclining mechanisms have shrunk so much in size and price in the past 4 years. A power-reclining mechanism can be added to most styles of recliners as an option, and a power version can cost as little as $100 more than the manual version.
That price drop—and an increased interest in creating home theaters around high-definition TVs in the family room and living room—has turned power recliners into a major focus of recliner manufacturers in the past 4 years, says Chip Piekenbrock of manufacturer Flexsteel. For consumers, this means that they can expect to find about 50 percent more models of power recliners on the market than were available in 2008. That’s notable when you consider that the business climate has been so shaky for furniture-makers that the well-known brand Berkline closed in 2011 and another well-known brand, Barcalounger, went through bankruptcy in 2010 (but remained open).
Four years ago, power recliners that were marketed for home-theater rooms that have large-screen HDTVs and elaborate lighting and sound systems looked like bulky versions of movie-theater seats. But today’s models are sleek, and they now often come with their own LED mood lights that are located under the seat. And features that are aimed at a home-theater audience are coming to lower priced models. You now can find power recliners that have storage pillows, illuminated cupholders, touch-control headrests, and coordinating trays and tables that start at about $900. Recliners that had those features 4 years ago started at roughly $1,300.
But manufacturers also are bolstering their products. Power-reclining mechanisms are becoming more rugged, and companies now are willing to back their power components with a longer warranty. Flexsteel and Klaussner are the first to include 5-year warranties for all of the electrical components that are in their motion recliners; typically 1–3 years is the industry norm. No other manufacturer has announced plans to follow Flexsteel and Klaussner’s lead with a 5-year warranty for electrical components, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see more companies extend their warranties in the next year or two.
And Flexsteel and Palliser now sell cordless battery units—typically a $299 option—to operate any of the power recliners that are in their lines. Having a battery unit allows you to place your power recliner anywhere in your home; it doesn’t have to be near an outlet. The rechargeable power packs work for 200–300 cycles of opening and closing, which means that they’ll work for up to 50 days based on average use before you need to recharge the power pack. The power pack beeps, like a cordless phone does, when it has to be plugged into an outlet to recharge. This is useful, so you can avoid getting stuck in your chair by a dead battery.
RELAX AND BE WELL. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the demand for power recliners has increased as the baby boomer generation entered its golden years. But companies aren’t aiming just at seniors.
“For young people in their 20s accustomed to power everything, there is a coolness in power furnishings,” says Lynne Schipp of Kittle’s Furniture, which is a retailer in Indianapolis.
LEATHER SOARS. The rising price of leather means that today’s leather recliners are $200 more expensive than they were a year ago.
LEATHER SOARS. The rising price of leather means that today’s leather recliners are $200 more expensive than they were a year ago.
We wouldn’t go so far as to say recliners are hip and happening, but they certainly can do more than they could 4 years ago. For example, American Leather has a model in a new collection that’s called Comfort Recliner ($5,200) that uses a unique, nonpowered weight-balanced mechanism that allows you to glide the recliner to any angle simply by leaning on the chair back without having to push on the arms. Unlike other recliners that are on the market, the back and the footrest work independently and can slide into an unlimited number of positions.
Four years ago, power-bed chaise recliners cost about $2,000. But Franklin now offers a power-bed chaise recliner that unfolds into a bed that has a memory-foam topper for $599, and a growing number of similar recliners are being built for people who have mobility problems but want more-mainstream styling. Four years ago, these chaise recliners were drab and overstuffed and looked like the sort of thing that you would find in a hospital room. But the new ones that we’ve seen in the past 2 years are much sleeker and actually can match the furniture in a modern or traditional living room.
Speaking of recliners that are pitched toward health issues, you might notice La-Z-Boy advertising its endorsement by American Chiropractic Association (ACA). In 2011, La-Z-Boy became the second recliner manufacturer to be so endorsed. (Premium recliner manufacturer Ekornes is the other.) That might sound good, but you should keep in mind that La-Z-Boy paid a fee to ACA to get this endorsement, and La-Z-Boy’s chairs didn’t meet any independent criteria to win the ACA label. In other words, the endorsement is nothing more than a marketing tool. As recliner manufacturers continue to aim at consumers who have health issues, we expect to see more companies use similar marketing ploys to try to lure buyers.
LESS LEATHER. Besides power mechanisms, we also have seen a lot of innovation in recliner fabric. In the past 12 months, leather prices have risen faster because of global supply-and-demand imbalances than they have in the past 10 years, says Mike Delgatti, who is president of Hooker Upholstery. That means that today’s leather recliners are as much as $200 more expensive than they were a year ago, whereas a price jump of $30–$40 is more typical. And it also means that a recliner that has full authentic leather is more difficult to find among today’s economy and midrange recliners.
“At one time, we showed eight to 10 leather chairs, but this [year], I have just one new introduction, and it is at the upper end for $699–$799, depending upon the quality of leather,” says Chuck Tidwell, who is vice president of Franklin.
Franklin is typical of all of the other manufacturers with which we spoke. The high prices have sent manufacturers looking for leather alternatives to keep their recliner prices the same, because an estimated 30 percent to 40 percent of sales over the past 5 years have been recliners that have leather covers.
As a result, now you’ll find a lot of mostly vinyl recliners that have leather “everywhere the body touches,” which means the seat, back cushion and inside of the chair arm. We believe that the technology to match the color and look of leather and vinyl has become quite good in the past 4 years, and we found that it now sometimes is difficult to discern the difference between the two coverings. What’s better is that we also found that the latest recliners that have these alternative-leather coverings feel like real leather. However, you should be aware that even if they appear to be a close match, the leather and vinyl might not age and fade at the same rate, so you could end up with two-tone furniture in a few years, depending on how much sunlight that your recliner absorbs. Also, from what we’ve seen of leather-and-vinyl furniture, the seams where the two coverings are joined are often frayed and look like they would be susceptible to tearing.
Consumers also will find more widespread use of bonded leather, which is a synthetic fabric that was introduced 5 years ago to approximate the look and feel of leather in economy recliners. Bonded leather actually includes little leather; it’s made by grinding up leather shavings and spraying them with an adhesive onto a backing.
Bonded leather looked shiny and garish when it arrived in the market, and we found that it often faded and separated. But the latest bonded-leather fabrics come in a variety of styles, and the experts with whom we spoke say fabric mills seem to have solved the fading and separation issues. That’s a comforting development.


How To Maintain Palliser Leather Recliners

By: jakeL

From the humble beginnings in a chicken barn, Palliser gained success and grew in the most competitive market as the top furniture manufacturer. Indeed, people have started to prefer Palliser leather recliners than other brands.

Palliser is the company that only deals with the highest quality leather from the tanneries of South America, Germany and Italy. While talking about leather, leather is warm in winter and cool in summer, different from what people assume. Natural fabric leather lasts for many years with little care and that is one of the reasons consumers go for it.

Here are some of the basic maintenance and cleaning guidelines to keep your Palliser leather recliners.


* Make sure that you use dry cloths when you are dust cleaning your furniture. You can also use a vacuum for crevasse cleaning.

* While you are making arrangements for your leather furniture, you check out that your furniture is not under direct sun light because long exposure to the sun can fade the color of the leather or soften it up.

* Use the best quality conditioner once or twice in a year for leather cleaning. If you don't use the leather that often then you can use it once a year.

* Be careful while applying any method of cleaning to your Palliser leather recliner. Don't use too much solution or too little.

* Instantaneously mop off liquid that spills on your furniture. Here you can use a spongy cotton, or other kind of soft cloth to take the moisture off.

* Use of soapy water can damage your Palliser leather recliner.

* While stain endures for long periods of time, call a professional leather cleaner immediately. Any other self-attempt can spread the stain or smash up the leather.