Patent ID: 6460932
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: A47C

Abstract:
An arm adjustment mechanism for a chair having a seat and a back, comprising:a support member extending upwardly from the seat adjacent a side of the seat, wherein the support member includes a channel defining a series of spaced engagement areas; an armrest assembly including an armrest member and a depending tubular member, wherein the tubular member defines an internal passage adapted to receive the support member for slidably mounting the tubular member to the support member; a latch member pivotably mounted to the armrest assembly, wherein the latch member includes an engagement section and a trigger section spaced from the engagement section and adapted for manual engagement by a user for pivoting the latch member from an engaged position to a disengaged position, wherein the latch member in its engaged position is positioned such that the engagement section is received within one of the engagement areas for maintaining the position of the tubular member relative to the support member to fix the height of the armrest member, and wherein the latch member in its disengaged position is positioned such that the engagement section is moved out of the engagement area for enabling movement of the tubular member relative to the support member to adjust the height of the armrest member, wherein the latch member includes a pivot pin arrangement defining a pivot axis about which the latch member is pivotable, wherein the pivot pin arrangement is received within a first pivot support area defined by the tubular member; a cap member engaged with the tubular member, wherein the cap member includes a second pivot support area engaged with the pivot pin arrangement, wherein the first and second pivot support areas cooperate to capture the pivot pin arrangement of the latch member for pivotably mounting the latch member to the armrest assembly; a pivotable mounting arrangement interposed between the cap member and the armrest member for providing pivoting movement of the armrest member about a substantially vertical pivot axis; a detent arrangement for selectively fixing the position of the armrest member relative to the support member, comprising a series of laterally facing detent surfaces on the cap member and a resilient engagement member provided on the armrest member, wherein the engagement member is selectively engageable with the detent surfaces to releasably maintain the armrest member in a predetermined horizontal position relative to the support member; a biasing member formed integrally with the trigger section of the latch member, wherein the biasing member is engageable with an inner wall defined by the tubular member for biasing the latch member toward the engaged position; and a retainer arrangement for maintaining the support member within the passage of the tubular member, comprising a retainer member engaged with the support member and including an opening therethrough, and engagement structure provided on the latch member at a location spaced from the trigger section, wherein the latch member extends through the opening of the retainer member and wherein the engagement structure provided on the latch member is engageable with the retainer member upon movement of the tubular member to a predetermined extended position relative to the support member, wherein engagement of the engagement structure with the retainer member is operable to maintain at least a portion of the support member within the internal passage defined by the tubular member.