Patent Application
20050146191
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vertically adjustable armrest for a chair and more particularly, to a vertically adjustable armrest for an office chair, the armrest being capable of easily and precisely adjusting upwardly and downwardly while being simply constructed and relatively inexpensive.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most modern office chair armrests are vertically adjustable. See, for example, several patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,309; U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,223; U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,096; and EP 1258209. While these patents disclose adjustable armrests, the armrest mechanism may be unreliable, difficult to use and/or relatively expensive.
The objectives encountered with previous devices have been overcome by the present invention. What is described here is a vertically adjustable armrest assembly for a chair comprising a support connected to the chair and extending generally in a vertical direction, the support having an open top, a plate connected to the interior wall of the support, the plate having a series of vertically aligned openings, and a slide element for supporting an armrest, the slide element being disposed within the support and extending out of the open top, and being positioned adjacent the plate, and having a lateral opening. The armrest assembly also includes a laterally movable block for being selectively received in the openings of the plate, a rod extending generally parallel to the slide element, the rod having a handle at an upper portion thereof and a misaligned portion, the misaligned portion operatively connected to the block for selectively moving the block into and out of openings in the plate, and a biasing element connected to the rod for maintaining the rod in a predetermined position.
There are number of advantages, features and objects achieved with the present invention which are believed not to be available in earlier related devices. For example, two advantages of the present adjustable armrest invention are that the adjustable armrest is simply constructed and relatively inexpensive. Two other features of the present armrest invention are that the armrest is reliably operated, easy to use and very robust. Other objects of the present invention are the provision of an armrest which is easily and quickly assembled and thereby is cost effective.
A more complete understanding of the present invention and other objects, advantages and features thereof will be gained from a consideration of the following description of a preferred embodiment read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing provided herein. The preferred embodiment represents an example of the invention which is described here in compliance with Title 35 U.S.C. section 112 (first paragraph), but the invention itself is defined by the attached claims.
While the present invention is open to various modifications and alternative constructions, the preferred embodiment shown in the various figures of the drawing will be described herein in detail. It is understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the particular embodiment, form or example which is disclosed here. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalent structures and methods, and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims, pursuant to Title 35 U.S.C. section 112 (second paragraph).
Referring now to
The simplicity of the adjustable armrest may be appreciated by referring to
Reference is made to co-pending patent applications assigned to the same assignee as the present application and entitled Horizontally Adjustable Chair Armrest, application Ser. No. ______, filed ______ (Docket No. 087522-785329); Chair with Backward and Forward Passive Tilt Capabilities, application Ser. No. ______, filed ______ (Docket No. 087522-785323); Chair Back, application Ser. No. ______, filed (Docket No. 087522-785336); Chair with Adjustable Seat Back, application Ser. No. ______, filed ______ (Docket No. 087522-785349); and Tilt Lock Mechanism, application Ser. No. ______, filed ______ (Docket No. 087522-785350). These applications disclose other features of the chair. This disclosure here, and the disclosure Horizontally Adjustable Chair Armrest illustrate the range of movement of the armrests. All disclosure of the Applications just mentioned are incorporated herein by reference. It is to be appreciate that a chair armrest may be fixed vertically and only adjustable horizontally, or fixed horizontally and adjustable vertically, or the vertical adjustment assembly disclosed here may be used with a horizontal adjustment assembly different from that disclosed in Application No. (087522-785329).
The support tube 30 includes an open top 50 and two lateral openings 52, 54 in one of the side walls 56 and the tube receives the vertically adjustable slide 32 and the stationary notched plate 34.
The notched plate 34,
The adjustment slide 32 includes a longitudinally extending stem 72,
The operating rod 36,
Slidably mounted within the lateral opening 75 of the slide 32 is the horizontally movable block 38. The block includes an opening 98,
Referring now to
Moving the block 38 horizontally into and out of the notched plate openings is accomplished by moving the rod 36 in a vertical direction by the rod handle 88. When in a locked condition, the front cam surface 93 of the rod bears against the front cam follower surface 100 of the block. When the rod is raised (
In this manner, the adjustment slide 32 is free to move vertically and the armrest may be vertically adjusted by lifting or depressing the armrest cover. Once a new vertical height is satisfactorily achieved, a chair user merely releases the rod handle 88. The spring 40 expands and causes the rod to cam or push the block back into engagement with the appropriate notched plate opening. More specifically, the front cam surface 93 of the rod bears against and pushes on the front cam follower surface 100 of the block. Even though these surfaces are slanted, it is well understood that a horizontal component of force will move the block horizontally. The abutment surface 82 of the slide limits the upward movement of the rod 36 because the abutment surface 96 of the rod 36 cannot go any higher than the abutment surface 82 of the slide 32.
The vertically adjustable armrest is easily and quickly assembled. The notched plate is aligned in the support. The rod may be placed within the opening of the block, the spring is mounted to the rod and then the rod is aligned with the vertical upper slot of the adjustment slide and the block with the lateral opening. Thereafter, the slide, the rod and the block assembly is inserted into the support tube.
In operation, a chair user sitting on the seat assembly of the office chair may easily adjust the vertical locations of the armrests simply by lifting upwardly on the rod handle against the compressing spring. This disengages the block from the opening in the notched plate and then the armrest may be moved to the desired vertical position. Thereafter, the handle is released causing the spring to bias the rod against the block thereby pushing the block back into engagement with the appropriate opening in the plate. Once engagement is achieved, the armrest is locked in the desired vertical position.
It can now be appreciated that the adjustable armrest is simply constructed, easy to use, reliable and cost effective. The adjustable armrest is relatively inexpensive and may be easily and quickly assembled.
The above specification describes in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Other examples, embodiments, modifications and variations will, under both the literal claim language and the doctrine of equivalents, come within the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims. For example, making modifications to the rod and the shape of the opening in the block will still result in an equivalent structure and will also come within the literal language of the claims. The same holds true for the lateral opening in the slide. Still other alternatives will also be equivalent as will many new technologies. There is no desire or intention here to limit in any way the application of the doctrine of equivalents nor to limit or restrict the scope of the invention.
