Chairs and seats – Armrest – Adjustable to multiple use positions relative to bottom or back
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-02
2001-10-16
Brown, Peter R. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Armrest
Adjustable to multiple use positions relative to bottom or back
C297S411350
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302486
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns adjustable armrests for chairs that can be adjusted in multiple directions and orientations relative to a seated user for increased comfort and ergonomics.
Adjustable armrests allow users to comfortably support their forearms while working, despite the differences in their sizes, shapes, and preferences. This can be particularly important for computer operators and for people having desk jobs, where the person may stay seated for long periods of time, and where different users use the same chair. It is also important for users that are physically large or heavy, or that are physically small or light in weight, to be able to adjust the armrest to a lateral position that is both comfortably close to them, but far enough out of the way to not restrict their body movements in the chair. The amount of adjustment must be relatively large in order to accommodate as many users as possible. However, a large range of adjustment often causes present armrest adjustment mechanisms to become sloppy at their outermost extended positions, and/or reduces their durability because of the increased torsional forces that they encounter.
Sometimes, in an effort to make highly-adjustable armrests more secure, complicated latching and securing mechanisms are added. However, such parts are expensive, often complex, and are not easy to operate. Further, sometimes it is not intuitively obvious how latches and triggers operate, such that users new to the chair must undesirably spend time figuring out how to operate the armrest in order to adjust it. Also, multi-part mechanisms can lead to quality problems during manufacture and warranty problems in service.
To summarize, modern users demand armrests that are simple and easy to operate, that are intuitively obvious to adjust, and that have a good, solid feel during adjustment. At the same time, customers want long life and low cost. Accordingly, an armrest construction solving the aforementioned problems and having the aforementioned advantages is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, an armrest construction for chairs includes an armrest support having a lower end constructed for attachment to a chair, an upper end, and a mounting block attached to the upper end. A pivot block is pivoted to the mounting block at a main pivot, the pivot block having an upwardly-extending follower. First and second gears are each pivoted to the pivot block, the gears having intermeshing teeth at an inner end such that rotation of the first gear causes the second gear to simultaneously rotate in an opposite direction, the first and second gears further having outer ends. A support plate has pivot/slide members engaging the outer ends of the first and second gears, and further has a guide operably engaging the follower to guide lateral movement of the support plate along a predetermined path. The support plate is rotatable about the main pivot to adjust the angular orientation of the armrest construction and is laterally movable along continuously parallel positions to adjust a width of the armrest construction relative to the chair.
In another aspect, an armrest construction for chairs includes an armrest support having an upper end and a pivot block attached to the upper end, the pivot block having a follower. First and second gears are each pivoted to the pivot block, the gears having intermeshing teeth at an inner end such that rotation of the first gear causes the second gear to simultaneously rotate in an opposite direction, the first and second gears further having outer ends. A support plate has pivot/slide members engaging the outer ends of the first and second gears, and further has a guide engaging the follower to guide lateral movement of the support plate along a predetermined path so that the support plate is laterally movable along continuously parallel positions to adjust a width of the armrest construction relative to the chair.
In another aspect, an armrest construction for chairs includes an elongated support having an upper end and a mounting block thereon, an armrest including a pivot block, and a main pivot pivotally interconnecting the mounting block to the pivot block. The main pivot includes a pivot hole in one of the mounting block and the pivot block, and includes a protrusion on the other of the mounting block and the pivot block for rotatably engaging the hole. The pivot hole and the protrusion include interfacing surfaces having a predetermined high coefficient of friction, such that rotation of the armrest about the main pivot requires a predetermined amount of force. In a preferred form, one of the interfacing surfaces is formed by a ribbed rubber element that causes the main pivot to move with a detented movement.
In another aspect, an armrest construction for chairs includes an elongated support including a mounting block, an armrest including a pivot block, and a main pivot pivotally interconnecting the mounting block to the armrest. A brake pad is located between the mounting block and the pivot block, the brake pad being spaced from the main pivot so that the armrest is rotatable about the main pivot, but so that a predetermined minimum torsional force is required sufficient to overcome a frictional force of the brake pad.
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Dammermann Arnold B.
DeKraker Larry
Grooters Robert S.
Hasbany John Hanna J.
Knoblock Glenn A.
Brown Peter R.
Price Heneveld Cooper DeWitt & Litton
Steelcase Development Corporation
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