Folding chair with retractable cup holder

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6361105
  • Patent Number
    6,361,105
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, February 13, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 26, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
A chair includes a chair arm (20) coupled to a frame (22, 28) and a cup holder (24) mounted to chair arm (20) for movement between a retracted position lying underneath chair arm (20) to an opened position lying away from the underside of chair arm (20) to hold a cup (26) therein. Cup holder (24) includes first and second arms (40, 42) mounted for pivotable movement about a pivot axis (44) relative to chair arm (20) and one another. When moved to the opened position, first and second arms (40, 42) cooperate to define a circular cup-receiving opening therebetween. Cup holder (24) also includes an interlock (90) to guide relative movement of first and second arms (40, 42) as those arms are moved between retracted and opened positions.
Description




BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to an arm chair and, in particular, an arm chair including a cup holder. More particularly, the present invention relates to a retractable cup holder for a folding chair.




Chairs, especially folding chairs, are frequently placed in groups or set arrangements in both large and small rooms for receptions or other activities. In certain cases, it is inconvenient to place a table next to every chair to provide a place for persons seated in the chairs to place beverage cups or the like.




According to the invention, a chair includes a chair arm coupled to a frame and a cup holder mounted to the chair arm for movement between a retracted position lying underneath the chair arm to an opened position lying away from the underside of the chair arm. A person seated in such a chair can move the cup holder relative to the chair arm to the opened position and place a cup therein whenever the need for such a cup holder arises.




In preferred embodiments, the cup holder includes first and second arms mounted for pivotable movement about a pivot axis relative to the chair arm and to one another. Outer ends of the first and second arms mate with one another and cooperate to define an interlock for guiding relative movement of the first and second arms as those arms are moved by a user between the retracted and opened positions. Each of the first and second arms include a curved serrated edge and these edges cooperate to define a circular cup-receiving opening when the cup holder is moved to its opened position so that a person seated in the chair can place a beverage cup therein.




Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:





FIGS. 1

is a perspective view of a foldable chair in accordance with the present invention showing a foldable frame, a seat and back mounted on the foldable frame, and right and left arms coupled to the foldable frame and showing a pivotable cup holder in a retraced position underneath the right arm of the foldable chair;





FIG. 2



a


is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the chair of

FIG. 1

showing the position of the cup holder relative to the right arm after a cup-receiving portion of the cup holder has been moved away from the underside of the right arm so that it is ready to receive a cup placed in it by a person seated in the chair,





FIG. 2



b


is an enlarged perspective assembly view of first and second arms included in the retractable cup holder below a portion of the right arm of the chair;





FIG. 3

is a view of the underside of the right arm of the chair taken along line


3





3


of

FIG. 1

showing the cup holder in its retracted position underneath the right arm of the chair and showing movement of two pivotable arms of the cup holder toward one another to define a somewhat football-shaped space therebetween to enable the cup holder to be reduced in size so that it fits substantially under the right arm of the chair when it is in its retracted position;





FIG. 4

is a view similar to

FIG. 3

showing the position of the cup holder after it has been pivoted from its retracted position to an exposed position but before movement of the cup holder arms away from one another to establish a cup-receiving configuration;





FIG. 5

is a view similar to

FIGS. 3 and 4

showing the cup holder in its cup-receiving configuration after pivoting movement of one cup holder arm relative to another cup holder arm to define a somewhat circular cup-receiving opening therebetween;





FIG. 6

is a sectional elevational view taken along lines


6





6


of

FIG. 2

showing the cup holder in the opened position (also shown in

FIG. 5

) and showing a phantom cup placed in the cup holder;





FIG. 6



a


is an enlarged perspective view of a portion, of the cup holder arms looking on the cup holder when it is in the exposed position shown in

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 6



b


is a view similar to

FIG. 6



a


but showing a portion of the cup holder when in the opened position shown in

FIG. 5

;





FIG. 7

is an enlarged perspective view of the left arm of the chair of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 8

is a top plan view of the chair arm of

FIG. 7

;





FIG. 9

is a bottom view of the chair arm of

FIG. 7

;





FIG. 10

is a perspective view of a portion of a folding chair similar to the chair illustrated in

FIG. 1

showing another embodiment of a cup holder in accordance with the present invention wherein the cup holder is positioned to lie in a retracted position within a space provided in the right arm of the chair;





FIG. 11

is a perspective view similar to

FIG. 10

showing movement of the cup holder ay from the chair arm to an opened cup-receiving position and showing a phantom large-diameter cup placed in the opened cup holder;





FIG. 12

is a view of a portion of the chair and the chair arm taken along line


12





12


of

FIG. 11

showing phantom large-diameter and small-diameter cups placed in the opened cup holder;





FIG. 13

is a sectional view similar to

FIG. 12

showing the cup holder after it has been moved to the left to its retracted position inside the right arm of the chair (as also shown in FIG.


10


);





FIG. 13



a


is a transverse sectional view taken along line


13




a





13




a


of

FIG. 13

showing placement of two laterally spaced-apart guides between two rear cup supports provided on a slidable cup holder plate;





FIG. 14

is a sectional elevational view of the folding chair of

FIG. 1

taken along line


14





14


of

FIG. 1

showing the left arm and a portion of a U-shaped seat support frame coupled to the left arm and the seat;





FIG. 15

is an enlarged view of the folding chair of

FIG. 14

(still shown in section) after it has been collapsed to its folded position;





FIG. 16



a


sectional view taken along lines


16





16


of

FIG. 14

showing the U-shaped seat-support frame used to couple the seat to the chair arms to enable folding of the chair;





FIG. 17

is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the U-shaped seat-support frame shown in

FIG. 16

showing a system configured to couple one portion of the U-shaped-seat-support frame to another portion thereof; and





FIG. 18

is a perspective view of a frame bracket coupled to a lower surface of the seat as shown in

FIG. 16

to support the U-shaped seat-support frame.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




A foldable arm chair is shown in FIG.


1


. Chair


10


includes a frame


12


, seat


14


, back


16


, left arm


18


, right arm


20


, seat-support frame


22


, and retractable cup holder


24


mounted to lie in a retracted position underneath right arm


20


as shown, for example, in FIG.


1


. It is within the scope of this disclosure to append retractable cup holder


24


to the arm of a non-folding chair (not shown).




Any bystander can move cup holder


24


relative to right arm


20


from the retracted position shown in

FIG. 1

to the exposed position shown, for example, in

FIG. 2

to enable a person seated in or standing alongside chair


10


to place a cup


26


in cup holder


24


as shown in FIG.


6


. Although cup holder


24


is mounted under right arm


20


in the embodiment illustrated in

FIGS. 1-6

, it is within the scope of this disclosure to mount cup holder in right arm


20


, in left arm


22


, and/or under left arm


22


.




Frame


12


includes a U-shaped tall section


28


carrying back


16


and providing front legs


30


,


32


and a pair of rear legs


34


,


36


. Each of rear legs


34


,


36


is pivotably coupled to tall section


28


by pivot links


38


as shown, for example, in

FIGS. 1

,


2


, and


14


. Frame


12


can be collapsed manually in a controlled way so that it is folded from the opened position shown in

FIGS. 1 and 14

to the collapsed position shown in FIG.


15


.




Referring to

FIGS. 2-5

, cup holder


24


includes a first arm


40


and a second arm


42


that is movable relative to first arm


40


as cup holder


24


moves from its retracted position to its opened position. The first and second arms


40


,


42


are coupled to right arm


20


for pivotable movement about a vertical pivot axis


44


. Arms


40


,


42


cooperate to define a somewhat football-shaped opening upon movement of the arms


40


,


42


relative to right arm


20


to the exposed position shown in FIG.


4


. Arms


40


,


42


cooperate to define a somewhat circular cup-receiving opening


46


upon movement of the arms


40


,


42


relative to right arm


20


to the opened position shown in

FIGS. 2 and 5

.




Referring to

FIGS. 2



b


,


5


, and


6


, first arm


40


includes a base


48


, a first-arm pivot post


50


appended to base


48


, and a first cup support


52


appended to base


48


and configured to define about one-half of the boundary of cup-receiving opening


46


. Second arm


42


includes a base


54


, a second-arm pivot post


56


appended to base


54


and configured to include a post-receiving channel


58


(for receiving first-arm pivot post


50


therein), and a second cup support


60


appended to base


54


and configured to define the remaining one-half of the boundary of cup-receiving opening


46


.




A stop member


49


is appended to base


48


of first arm


40


and arranged to lie adjacent to first-arm pivot post


50


as shown, for example, in

FIG. 2



b


. Stop member


49


is arranged to disengage right arm


20


when cup holder


24


lies in its retracted position as shown in FIG.


4


. Stop member


49


is arranged to engage a wall


51


in right arm


20


as shown, for example, in

FIGS. 4 and 5

to limit pivoting movement of first arm


40


relative to right arm


20


about axis


44


during movement of cup holder


24


to its opened position shown in FIG.


5


.




To enable pivoting movement of first and second arms


40


,


42


about pivot axis


44


relative to right arm


20


as shown in FIG.


4


and relative to one another as shown in FIG.


4


and relative to one another as shown in

FIG. 5

, the second-arm pivot post


56


is mounted for rotation about pivot axis


44


in a chamber formed in a post support sleeve


62


formed on the underside of right arm


20


, the first-arm pivot post


50


is mounted for rotation in the post-receiving channel


58


formed in second-arm pivot post


56


, and a bolt


64


is coupled to a foundation


66


provided in post support sleeve


62


to retain posts


50


,


56


in their assembled but rotatable positions relative to right arm


20


as shown in FIG.


6


.




First-arm pivot post


50


includes a cylinder-shaped trunk


68


appended to base


48


and formed to include a cavity


70


for receiving the head of bolt


64


as shown, for example, in

FIGS. 2



b


and


6


. First-arm pivot post


50


further includes a cylinder-shaped branch


72


appended to a distal end of trunk


68


and formed to include a passageway


73


receiving a portion of the shank


65


of bolt


64


.




Second-arm pivot post


56


includes a cylinder-shaped trunk


74


appended to base


54


and formed to include the post-receiving channel


58


as shown, for example, in

FIGS. 2



b


and


6


. Second-arm pivot post


56


further includes a cylinder-shaped branch


76


appended to a distal end of trunk


74


and formed to include a cavity at one end receiving branch


72


of first-arm pivot post


50


therein, a cavity at an opposite end receiving foundation


66


appended to right arm


20


therein, and a partition wall positioned to lie between those two cavities and formed to include an aperture receiving a portion of the shank of bolt


64


. As shown in

FIG. 6

, a tip of the shank of bolt


64


is anchored in a bolt-receiving aperture formed in foundation


66


.




First cup support


52


includes a horizontal curved ledge


78


, a curved wall


80


depending from ledge


78


, and a serrated edge


82


appended to curved wall


80


and arranged to engage a cup placed in cup holder


24


upon movement of cup holder arms


40


,


42


to the opened positions shown in

FIGS. 2

,


5


, and


6


. Likewise, second cup support


60


includes a horizontal curved ledge


84


, a curved wall


86


depending from ledge


84


, and a serrated edge


88


.




An interlock


90


is provided to control and guide movement of the first and second arms


40


,


42


in cup holder


24


during movement of cup holder


24


relative to right arm


20


between, for example, the exposed position shown in FIG.


4


and the opened position shown in FIG.


5


. Interlock


90


includes a first portion on first cup support


52


that is arranged to mate with a second portion of interlock


90


on second cup support


60


.




The first portion of interlock


90


includes a second-arm slot


92


formed in a curved side wall


94


of first cup support


52


and a horizontal curved guide surface


96


included in first cup support


52


and arranged to border slot


92


as shown, for example, in

FIGS. 2



b


,


6




a


, and


6




b


. First cup support


52


further includes a tab stop


97


located at the outer end of first arm


40


and a tab slot


98


formed in curved guide surface


96


to communicate with second-arm slot


92


.




The second portion of interlock


90


includes a curved segment


110


at an outer end of second cup support


60


and a radially outwardly projecting, axially downwardly extending tab


112


as shown, for example, in

FIGS. 2



b


,


6




a


, and


6




b


. Curved segment


110


is arranged and sized to move back and forth in second-arm slot


92


during movement of second arm


42


relative to first arm


40


as cup holder


24


moves from an exposed position to an opened position as shown in

FIGS. 4 and 5

. Tab


112


on second arm


42


fits into tab slot


98


formed in first arm


40


to assist in establishing the opened position of the cup holder


24


as shown, for example, in

FIGS. 2 and 5

. Tab


112


is discharged from tab slot


98


during pivoting movement of first and second arms


40


,


42


as cup holder


24


is returned to its retracted position shown in FIG.


3


.




Several views of left arm


18


of chair


10


are shown in

FIGS. 7-9

. Left arm


18


includes an armrest


114


, a first connector


116


configured to be mounted for pivotable movement to the U-shaped tall section


28


of frame


12


, and a second connector


118


configured to be mounted for pivotable movement to seat-support frame


22


.




Referring now to

FIGS. 10-13

, a chair


110


includes a right arm


120


, a frame


12


, a seat-support frame


22


, and a retractable cup holder


124


in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Cup holder


124


is coupled to right arm


120


for sliding movement back and forth between a retracted position shown, for example, in FIG.


10


and an opened position shown, for example, in FIG.


11


. Chair


110


is similar in all other respects to chair


10


.




Cup holder


124


includes a plate


126


formed to include a cavity


128


configured to receive a small-diameter base of a cup


130


(shown in phantom) as shown in

FIG. 12 and a

space


132


bounded, in part, by cup supports


134


,


136


, and


138


and configured to receive a large-diameter base of a cup


140


(shown in phantom). Cup holder


124


also includes a front end


142


shaped to form a “false front” of right arm


120


when cup holder


124


is moved to its retracted position in right arm


120


as shown in

FIGS. 10 and 13

. Cup holder


124


further includes a rear end


144


configured to slide on glide plate


145


of right arm


120


in a channel


146


formed in right arm


120


. Front end


142


is also formed to include the front cup support


138


and rear end


144


is formed to include rear cup supports


134


and


136


.




A pair of spaced-apart guides


147


depend from an interior wall


149


in right arm


120


as shown in

FIGS. 11-13

to lie in a space provided between rear cup supports


134


,


136


on cup holder plate


126


. Side walls provided between rear cup supports


134


,


136


ride on the guides


147


during movement of cup holder


124


between its retracted and opened positions to guide cup holder


124


so that it moves along a straight line relative to right arm


120


.




A flexible tab


148


is appended to rear end


144


of plate


126


and arranged to engage a stop


150


provided on right arm


120


to limit outward sliding movement of cup holder


124


relative to right arm


120


as shown, for example, in FIG.


12


. Flexible tab


148


includes cam surface


152


and can be deflected in direction


154


relative to plate


126


upon engagement with edge


156


of right arm


120


during initial installation of cup holder


124


in channel


146


formed in right arm


120


.




Chair


10


(and


110


) is able to fold from an opened, use position shown in

FIG. 14

to a collapsed, storage position shown in FIG.


15


. Such controlled collapse of chair


10


,


110


is facilitated in part, by operation of seat-support frame


22


shown in

FIGS. 14-17

and frame brackets


160


coupled to seat


14


and seat-support frame


22


as shown, for example, in

FIGS. 1

,


14


-


16


, and


18


.




Referring to

FIG. 16

, seat-support frame


22


is a U-shaped member including a first leg


162


pivotably coupled to right arm


20


, a second leg


164


pivotably coupled to left arm


18


, and a bight rod


166


interconnecting lower ends of first and second legs


162


,


164


. Bight rod


166


passes under seat


14


and through frame brackets


160


mounted on the underside of seat


14


.




Bight rod


166


includes a first section


168


appended to first leg


162


and a second section


170


appended to second leg


164


. As shown in

FIG. 17

, second section


170


includes an arm


172


that is telescopically received in a sleeve


174


formed in first section


168


and a pin


176


passes through apertures


178


,


180


formed in arm


172


and sleeve


174


, respectively, to couple first section


168


to second section


170


to establish bight rod


166


.




Each frame bracket


160


includes a block


182


coupled to seat


14


and a plate


184


coupled to block


182


. Plate


184


is formed to include an aperture


184


sized to receive bight rod


166


of seat-support frame


22


therein and permit rotation of bight rod


166


in aperture


186


as chair


10


,


110


moves between its opened and collapsed positions.




Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A chair comprising:a frame, a seat coupled to the frame, a chair arm coupled to the frame and positioned to lie above the seat, and a cup holder mounted to the arm for movement between a retracted position lying underneath the chair arm to an opened position lying away from an underside of the chair arm to hold a cup therein, the cup holder including a first arm and a second arm that is movable relative to the first arm as the cup holder moves from the retracted position to the opened position and the first and second arms cooperate to define a single-cup receiving opening therebetween away from the chair arm upon movement of the first and second arms to the opened position, wherein the first and second arms are coupled to the chair arm for movement about a vertical pivot axis.
  • 2. The chair of claim 1, wherein the first arm includes a first-arm base, a first-arm pivot post appended to the first-arm base and arranged to rotate about the vertical pivot axis, and a first cup support appended to the first-arm base and configured to define about one-half of a boundary of the cup-receiving opening.
  • 3. The chair of claim 2, wherein the second arm includes a second-arm base, a second-arm pivot post appended to the second-arm base and arranged to rotate about the vertical pivot axis, and a second cup support appended to the second-arm base and configured to define a remaining one-half of the boundary of the cup-receiving opening.
  • 4. The chair of claim 1, wherein the chair arm includes a border edge and an interior wall positioned to lie in a region defined by the border edge and the cup holder further includes a stop member coupled to the first arm and arranged to disengage the interior wall upon movement of the cup holder to the retracted position and to engage the interior wall to limit pivoting movement of the first arm relative to the chair arm about the vertical axis during movement of the cup holder to the opened position.
  • 5. The chair of claim 4, wherein the first arm includes a first-arm base, a first-arm pivot post appended to the first-arm base and arranged to rotate about the vertical pivot axis, and a first cup support appended to the first-arm base and configured to define about one-half of a boundary of the cup-receiving opening and the stop member is appended to the first-arm base of the first arm and arranged to lie adjacent to the first-arm pivot post.
  • 6. The chair of claim 1, wherein the chair arm is formed to include a post-receiving chamber having a downwardly facing opening, the second arm includes a second-arm pivot post mounted for rotation about the vertical pivot axis in the post-receiving chamber in the chair arm and formed to include a post-receiving channel, and the first arm includes a first-arm pivot post mounted for rotation about the vertical pivot axis in the post-receiving channel in the second-arm pivot post.
  • 7. The chair of claim 6, wherein the chair further comprises a bolt coupled to a foundation provided in the post-receiving chamber and to the first arm to retain the first-arm and second-arm pivot posts in rotatable positions relative to the chair arm.
  • 8. The chair of claim 7, wherein the first arm further includes a cup support and a first-arm base coupled to the cup support and to the first-arm pivot post, and the first-arm pivot post includes a cylinder-shaped trunk appended to the first-arm base and formed to include a cavity receiving a head included in the bolt and a cylinder-shaped branch appended to a distal end of the cylinder-shaped trunk and formed to include a passageway receiving a portion of a shank included in the bolt.
  • 9. The chair of claim 7, wherein the second arm further includes a cup support and a second-arm base coupled to the cup support and to the second-arm pivot post, and the second-arm pivot post includes a cylinder-shaped trunk appended to the second-arm base and formed to include the post-receiving channel and a cylinder-shaped branch appended to a distal end of the cylinder-shaped trunk and formed to include a cavity at one end receiving a portion of the first-arm pivot post therein, another cavity at an opposite end receiving the foundation therein, and a partition wall positioned to lie between said cavities and formed to include an aperture receiving a portion of the shank of the bolt.
  • 10. The chair of claim 1, wherein the first arm includes a first cup support, the second arm includes a second cup support, and the cup holder further includes an interlock arranged to control and guide movement of the first and second arms relative to one another during movement of the cup holder to the opened position, the interlock including a first portion on the first cup support and a second portion on the second cup support arranged to mate with the first portion on the cup support.
  • 11. The chair of claim 10, wherein the first portion of the interlock includes a second-arm slot formed in a side wall of the first cup support and a horizontal guide surface included in the first cup support and arranged to border the second-arm slot.
  • 12. The chair of claim 11, wherein the fist cup support further includes a tab stop located at an outer end of the first arm and a tab slot formed in the horizontal guide surface to communicate with the second-arm slot.
  • 13. The chair of claim 12, wherein the second portion of the interlock includes a curved segment at an outer end of the second cup support and a radially outwardly projecting, axially downwardly extending tab, the cured segment is arranged and sized to move back and forth in the second-arm slot during movement of the second arm relative to the first arm as the cup holder moves to the opened position, and the tab on the second arm fits into the tab slot formed in the first arm to assist in establishing the opened position of the cup holder.
  • 14. The chair of claim 11, wherein the second portion of the interlock includes a curved segment at an outer end of the second cup support and a radially outwardly projecting, axially downwardly extending tab, the curved segment is arranged and sized to move back and forth in the second-arm slot during movement of the second arm relative to the first arm as the cup holder moves to the opened position.
  • 15. The chair of claim 10, wherein each cup support includes a horizontal curved ledge, a curved wall depending from the horizontal curved ledge, and a serrated edge appended to the curved wall and arranged to engage a cup placed in the cup holder upon movement of the first and second arms to the opened position.
  • 16. The chair of claim 1, wherein each cup support includes a horizontal curved ledge, a curved wall depending from the horizontal curved ledge, and a serrated edge appended to the curved wall and arranged to engage a cup placed in the cup holder upon movement of the first and second arms to the opened position.
  • 17. A chair comprisinga frame, a seat coupled to the frame, a chair arm coupled to the frame and positioned to lie above the seat, the chair arm having an underside facing toward the seat, a cup holder including first and second arms, each arm including a first end mounted for pivotable movement about a vertical axis and an opposite second end, the first and second arms being mounted for movement relative to the chair arm wherein one another from a retracted position underneath the underside of the chair arm wherein the first and second arms are positioned to intersect and the second ends of the first and second arms are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to an opened position wherein the second ends of the first and second arms are positioned to lie away from the underside of the chair in engagement with one another to cause the first and second arms to cooperate to define a cup-receiving opening therebetween.
  • 18. The chair of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second arms includes an edge adapted to engage a cup placed in the cup-receiving opening and the edges cooperate to define a football-shaped opening when the cup holder lies in the retracted position.
  • 19. The chair of claim 18, wherein the edges of the first and second arms cooperate to define a football-shaped opening therebetween when the cup holder lies in the opened position and the second ends of the first an second arms are positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another and the edges of the first and second arms cooperate to define a circular opening therebetween when the cup holder lies in the opened position and the second ends of the first and second arms are positioned to lie in engagement with one another.
  • 20. The chair of claim 19, wherein the first arm is formed to include a second-arm slot and the second arm includes a segment arranged to lie between the first and second ends of the second arm and slide in the second-arm slot during movement of the second arm relative to the first arm.
  • 21. The chair of claim 18, wherein each edge is serrated.
  • 22. The chair of claim 18, wherein the second ends of the first and second arms are arranged to lie outside the football-shaped opening and under the chair arm when each of the first and second arms lie in the retracted position.
  • 23. The chair of claim 17, wherein the chair arum includes a border edge and an interior wall positioned to lie in a region defined by the border edge and the cup holder flier includes a stop member coupled to the first arm and arranged to disengage the interior wall upon movement of the first and second arms to the retracted position and to engage the interior wall to limit pivoting movement of the first arm relative to the chair arm about the vertical axis during movement of the first and second arms to the opened position.
  • 24. The chair of claim 17, wherein the chair arm is formed to include a post-receiving chamber having a downwardly facing opening, the second arm includes a second-arm pivot post mounted for rotation about the vertical pivot axis in the post-receiving chamber in the chair arm and formed to include a post-receiving channel, and the first arm includes a first-arm pivot post mounted for rotation about the vertical pivot axis in the post-receiving channel in the second-arm pivot post.
  • 25. The chair of claim 17, wherein the chair further comprises a bolt coupled to a foundation provided in the post-receiving chamber and to the first arm to retain the first-arm and second-arm pivot posts in rotatable positions relative to the chair arm.
  • 26. The chair of claim 25, wherein the first arm further includes a cup support and a first-arm base coupled to the cup support and to the first-arm pivot post, and the first-arm pivot post includes a cylinder-shaped trunk appended to the first-arm base and formed to include a cavity receiving a head included in the bolt and a cylinder-shaped branch appended to a distal end of the cylinder-shaped trunk and formed to include a passageway receiving a portion of a shank included in the bolt.
  • 27. The chair of claim 25, wherein the second arm further includes a clip support and a second-arm base coupled to the cup support and to the second-arm pivot post, and the second-arm pivot post includes a cylinder-shaped appended to the second-arm base and formed to include the post-receiving channel and a cylinder-shaped branch appended to a distal end of the cylinder-shaped trunk and formed to include a cavity at one end receiving a portion of the first-arm pivot post therein, another cavity at an opposite end receiving the foundation therein, and a partition wall positioned to lie between said cavities and formed to include an aperture receiving a portion of the shank of the bolt.
  • 28. The chair of claim 17, wherein the first arm includes a first cup support, the second arm includes a second cup support, and the cup holder further includes an interlock arranged to control and guide movement of the first and second arms relative to one another during movement of the cup holder to the opened position, the interlock including a first portion on the first cup support and a second portion on the second cup support arranged to mate with the first portion on the cup support.
  • 29. A chair comprisinga frame, a seat coupled to the frame, a chair arm coupled to the frame and positioned to lie above the seat, and a cup holder including a first arm and a second arm movable relative to the first arm to define a cup-receiving opening therebetween, the second arm being coupled to an underside of the chair arm for pivotable movement about a vertical pivot axis relative to the chair a the first arm being coupled to the second arm for pivotable movement about the vertical pivot axis relative to the chair arm and to the second arm.
  • 30. The chair of claim 29, wherein the cup holder further includes an interlock arranged to control and guide movement of the first and second arms relative to one another during pivotable movement of the first and second arms relative to the chair arm and to one another from a retracted position underneath the chair arm to an opened position wherein the cup-receiving opening defined by the first and second arms is positioned to lie away from the underside of the chair arm to receive a cup therein.
  • 31. The chair of claim 30, wherein the interlock includes a first interlock portion on the first arm and a second interlock portion on the second arm and the second interlock portion is arranged to mate with the first interlock portion.
  • 32. The chair of claim 31, wherein the first arm includes a first-arm base, a first-arm pivot post appended to the first-arm base and arranged to rotate about the vertical pivot axis, and a first cup support appended to the first-arm base and configured to define a first portion of the cup-receiving opening and the first interlock portion includes a second-arm slot formed in the first cup support and arranged to receive the second interlock portion therein.
  • 33. The chair of claim 29, wherein the chair arm is formed to include a post-receiving chamber having a downwardly facing opening, the second arm includes a second-arm pivot post mounted for rotation about the vertical pivot axis in the post-receiving chamber in the chair arm and formed to include a post-receiving channel, and the fist arm includes a first-arm pivot post mounted for rotation about the vertical pivot axis in the post-receiving channel in the second-arm pivot post.
  • 34. The chair of claim 33, wherein the chair further comprises a bolt coupled to a foundation provided in the post- receiving chamber and to the first arm to retain the first-arm and second-arm pivot posts in rotatable positions relative to the chair arm.
  • 35. The chair of claim 34, wherein the first arm further includes a cup support and a first-arm base coupled to the cup support and to the first-arm pivot post, and the first-arm pivot post includes a cylinder shaped trunk appended to the first-arm base and formed to include a cavity receiving a head included in the bolt and a cylinder-shaped branch appended to a distal end of the cylinder-shaped trunk and formed to include a passageway receiving a portion of a shank included in the bolt.
  • 36. The chair of claim 34, wherein the second arm further includes a cup support and a second-arm base coupled to the cup support and to the second-arm pivot post, and the second-arm pivot post includes a cylinder-shaped trunk appended to the second-arm base and formed to include the post-receiving channel and a cylinder-shaped branch appended to a distal end of the cylinder-shaped trunk and formed to include a cavity at one end receiving a portion of the first-arm pivot post therein, another cavity at an opposite end receiving the foundation therein, and a partition wall positioned to lie between said cavities and formed to include an aperture receiving a portion of the shank of the bolt.
PCT Information
Filing Document Filing Date Country Kind
PCT/US99/18460 WO 00
Publishing Document Publishing Date Country Kind
WO00/08978 2/24/2000 WO A
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Number Name Date Kind
2704114 Williams Mar 1955 A
4783037 Flowerday Nov 1988 A
5131716 Kwasnik et al. Jul 1992 A
5330146 Spykerman Jul 1994 A
5489054 Schiff Feb 1996 A
5791616 Volkmann et al. Aug 1998 A
5897089 Lancaster et al. Apr 1999 A
6149238 Tasi Nov 2000 A
6209951 Han Apr 2001 B1