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 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. A seating unit, comprising: a base with a laterally-extending tubular support;an armrest having a tubular end telescopingly engaging the tubular support; the tubular end having a first sidewall adjacent a similarly-shaped sidewall of the tubular support; anda clamp mechanism extending through the first sidewall and through the similarly-shaped sidewall and configured to press the adjacent sidewalls together without crushing other walls of the tubular support and tubular end, such that remaining walls of the tubular support and the tubular end are not stressed in a way that will deform them even when the clamp mechanism is clampingly pressing the adjacent sidewalls together.

2. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the clamp mechanism includes a shaft extending through the adjacent sidewalls.

3. The seating unit defined in claim 2, wherein the clamp mechanism includes a tensioning member movable between a first position tensioning the shaft and a second position un-tensioning the shaft.

4. The seating unit defined in claim 3, wherein the tensioning member comprises a camming surface that selectively defines the first and second positions.

5. The seating unit defined in claim 3, wherein the shaft includes a head on one end and the tensioning member is positioned at another end.

6. The seating unit defined in claim 5, wherein one of the tubular support and tubular end includes a slot, the shaft slidably engaging the slot such that the tubular end is telescopingly adjustable within the tubular support for adjusting the armrest.

7. The seating unit defined in claim 6, including a support plate positioned against one of the adjacent sidewalls.

8. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the clamp mechanism includes a headed fastener and a tensioning handle, the headed fastener having a shaft extending through aligned holes in the adjacent sidewalls and a head too large to fit through the aligned holes, and the tensioning handle engaging an end of the fastener opposite the head, the tensioning handle being movable between a first position where the shaft is tensioned and a second position where the shaft is released and un-tensioned.

9. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein one of the tubular support and the tubular end includes a slot, and the other of the tubular support and the tubular end includes a hole, the clamp mechanism extending through the slot and hole, the slot permitting the tubular end to be adjusted laterally on the tubular support without interference from the clamp mechanism.

10. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the tubular support includes a top wall opposite the similarly-shaped sidewall, the top wall having an aperture, and wherein the clamp mechanism includes a headed fastener shaped to that fit completely through the aperture during assembly.

11. An armrest support arrangement for a seating unit, comprising: a laterally-extending tubular support;an armrest having a laterally-extending end telescopingly engaging and positioned inside of the tubular support; the laterally-extending end having a first sidewall adjacent a similarly-shaped sidewall of the tubular support;a support plate positioned adjacent the adjacent sidewalls and within the tubular support, the support plate stiffening the adjacent sidewalls; anda clamp mechanism pressing the adjacent sidewalls and the support plate together in a juxtaposed laminar arrangement.

12. The armrest support arrangement defined in claim 11, wherein the clamp mechanism includes a shaft extending through the adjacent sidewalls and through the support plate.

13. The armrest support arrangement defined in claim 12, wherein the clamp mechanism includes a tensioning member movable between a first position tensioning the shaft and a second position un-tensioning the shaft.

14. The armrest support arrangement defined in claim 13, wherein the tensioning member comprises a camming surface that selectively defines the first and second positions.

15. The armrest support arrangement defined in claim 11, wherein the clamp mechanism includes a headed fastener and a tensioning handle, the headed fastener having a shaft extending through aligned holes in the adjacent sidewalls and in the support plate, and having a head too large to fit through the aligned holes, the tensioning handle engaging an end of the fastener opposite the head, the tensioning handle being movable between a first position where the shaft is tensioned and a second position where the shaft is released and un-tensioned.

16. The armrest support arrangement defined in claim 11, wherein one of the tubular support and the tubular end includes a slot, and the other of the tubular support and the tubular end includes a hole, the clamp mechanism extending through the slot and hole, the slot permitting the tubular end to be adjusted laterally on the tubular support without interference from the clamp mechanism.

17. A method of assembly comprising steps of: providing a laterally-extending tubular support;providing an armrest having a tubular end;telescopingly engaging the tubular end into the tubular support, the tubular end having a first sidewall adjacent a similarly-shaped sidewall of the tubular support;providing a clamp mechanism having a fastener and a clamp handle;passing the fastener completely through top walls of the tubular support and the tubular end, and extending the fastener through the first sidewall and through the similarly-shaped sidewall;attaching the clamp handle to an end of the fastener;operating the clamp mechanism to press the adjacent sidewalls together without crushing other walls of the tubular support and the tubular end, such that remaining walls of the tubular support and the tubular end are not stressed in a way that will deform them even when the clamp mechanism is clampingly pressing the adjacent sidewalls together.

18. The method defined in claim 17, including providing a support plate, inserting the support plate into a juxtaposed location adjacently supporting the adjacent sidewalls, and wherein the step of operating the clamp mechanism includes clamping the support plate to the adjacent sidewalls.

19. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the clamp handle includes a barrel nut and a handle member mounted on the barrel nut for rotation, the barrel nut being attached to the fastener and the handle member having camming surfaces that operate to tension the fastener when the clamp handle is moved to a clamping position and that operate to un-tension the fastener when moved to an unclamped position.

20. The armrest support arrangement defined in claim 13, wherein the shaft includes a head on one end and the tensioning member is positioned at another end.

21. The armrest support arrangement defined in claim 20, wherein one of the tubular support and tubular end includes a slot, the shaft slidably engaging the slot such that the tubular end is telescopically adjustable within the tubular support for adjusting the armrest.

22. The seating unit defined in claim 11, wherein the clamp mechanism comprises a fastener and a clamp handle, and wherein the clamp handle comprises a barrel nut and a handle member mounted on the barrel nut for rotation, the barrel nut being attached to the fastener and the handle member having camming surfaces.