Seating unit with adjustable components

Abstract

An armrest structure includes a tubular support, and an armrest having a tubular end telescopingly engaging the tubular support. A support plate engages bottom walls of the tubular support and the tubular end in a laminar arrangement. A clamping bolt slides through a top hole and into aligned holes in the laminar arrangement, with its head abutting the aligned holes. A clamping handle on a bottom of the bolt is rotatable between a clamping position tensioning the bolt to secure the arrangement, and a release position de-tensioning the bolt. By this arrangement, remaining walls of the tubular support and the tubular end are not deformed even when the clamp is clampingly pressing the adjacent sidewall sections together. An adjustable back with actuator handles at a lower edge of the back, and a seat assembly with fingers that retain an upholstery cover tight against concave areas are also shown.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-3 are perspective, side, and rear views of a chair embodying the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the armrest and supporting adjustment structure;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the armrest and supporting adjustment structure;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the front and side under-seat structure in the direction of arrow VII in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a cross section taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a bottom view showing a bottom of the seat of the chair;

FIGS. 10-11 are rear views of the back of the chair shown in FIG. 1, with the upholstery covering being partially broken away to better show the back adjustment mechanism and with various components of the back adjustment mechanism being exploded apart to better show other components; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial view of the assembled back adjustment mechanism.

Claims

1. An adjustable back arrangement for a seating unit comprising: a back upright including a bearing;a back slidably engaging the bearing on the back upright for movement between different height positions; anda latch member for securing the back in a selected one of the different height positions, the back including a back shell defining a pivotal support, one of the bearing and the upright including a row of notches, the latch member pivotally engaging the pivotal support and including a locking tooth for selectively engaging the notches as the back is moved between the different height positions.

2. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein the back includes a molded polymeric back shell.

3. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 2, including a handle attached to the latch member for operating the latch member, the handle being located at a lower edge of back in a readily accessible location.

4. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 3, including a second latch member, and including a second handle mounted on the second latch member.

5. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein the latch member is rotatably supported on an integrally-formed structure on the back.

6. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 5, wherein the integrally-formed structure includes top and bottom retainer loops, and wherein the latch member includes an axle with portions that extend through the top and bottom loops during assembly.

7. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein the latch member includes an integrally-formed spring that engages the back to bias the latch member to a normally engaged position.

8. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein the bearing includes edge flanges with notches therein, and wherein the latch member includes at least one tooth that selectively engages the notches for holding the back in a selected one of the different height positions.

9. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 1, wherein the back includes integrally-formed slots configured to slidably engage edge flanges of the bearing.

10. An adjustable back arrangement for a seating unit comprising: a back upright;a back slidably engaging the back upright for movement between different height positions; andat least one latch member for securing the back in a selected one of the different height positions, the at least one latch member having a handle positioned below the back and at a lower outer edge of the back, the handle being configured to operate the latch member to releasably engage the back upright to allow the back to be moved between the different height positions.

11. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one latch member is rotatably mounted for rotation about a vertical axis.

12. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one latch member is rotatably supported on an integrally-formed structure on the back.

13. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 12, wherein the integrally-formed structure includes top and bottom retainer loops, and wherein the at least one latch member includes an axle with portions that extend through the top and bottom retainer loops during assembly.

14. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one latch member includes an integrally-formed spring that engages the back to bias the at least one latch member to a normally engaged position.

15. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 10, wherein the back upright includes a bearing, and wherein the bearing includes edge flanges with notches therein, and wherein the at least one latch member includes at least one tooth that selectively engages the notches for holding the back in a selected one of the different height positions.

16. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 15, wherein the back includes integrally-formed slots configured to slidably engage edge flanges of the bearing.

17. An adjustable back arrangement for a seating unit comprising: a back upright including a bearing, wherein the bearing includes edge flanges with notches therein;a back slidably engaging the bearing on the back upright for movement between different height positions, wherein the back includes integrally-formed slots configured to slidably engage edge flanges of the bearing;a latch member including an axle and at least one tooth, wherein the at least one tooth engages the notches of the bearing for holding the back in a selected one of the different height positions; andan integrally-formed structure including a top and a bottom retaining loop, wherein the axle of the latch member extends through the top and bottom loops during assembly, and wherein the latch member is rotatably supported on an integrally-formed structure on the back.

18. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 17, wherein the latch member further comprises an integrally-formed spring that engages the back to bias the latch member to a normally engaged position.

19. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 17, including a handle attached to the latch member for operating the latch member, the handle being located at a lower edge of the back.

20. The adjustable back arrangement defined in claim 19, including a second latch member, and including a second handle mounted on the second latch member.