Multiple direction adjustment armrest

An adjustable armrest includes an elevation device to allow adjustment of a height of the armrest, a first rocking device to allow adjustment of the armrest to the left or to the right, a movement controlling device to allow front and rear adjustment of the armrest and a second rocking device to allow movement of the armrest.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an armrest, and more particularly to an armrest that is adjustable in different directions.

2. Description of Related Art

The currently available armrests can be adjusted to adapt to the user's preference. That is, the armrest's height can be adjusted or the armrest's left or right movement distance can be adjusted so as to cope with users of different height. However, the armrests can only provide adjustment in two dimensions, none of the armrests are able to provide adjustment in multiple dimensions.

To overcome the shortcoming the conventional armrest has, the present invention is to provide an improved armrest that can be adjusted in multiple directions such that users of different height are able to use the armrest comfortably.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved armrest in which height, distance, and relative angle between two armrests can be adjusted.

In order to accomplish the aforementioned objective, the armrest of the present invention is provided with an elevation device to control the elevation of the armrest, a first rocking device to control lateral movement of the armrest, a movement controlling device to control the front and rear movement of the armrest and a second rocking device sandwiched between the first rocking device and the movement controlling device. The movement controlling device is provided with an armrest cover to adapt users of different arm length. The first rocking device is located between the elevation device and the movement controlling device to adjust distance between two armrests. The second rocking device is able to adjust an angle between two armrests so that the user is able to comfortably rest his/her arms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, it is noted that the armrest in accordance with the present invention includes an elevation device1, a first rocking device2, a movement controlling device3and a second rocking device20.

With reference toFIGS. 2,10and11, the elevation device1of the present invention is composed of a hollow column4with two openings respectively defined in two opposite ends of the column4, a substantially L-shaped support5and a first moving portion11. The column4has a first cutout41defined in a top peripheral edge thereof to communicate with one of the two openings, two tracks42respectively defined in two opposite sides of the column4, threaded holes43formed on a top face of the column4and through holes44each adjacent to one of the threaded holes43. The support5is substantially L shaped and is divided into a vertical portion50adapted to connect to an armrest and a horizontal portion54adapted to connect to a seat of a chair. The vertical portion50is defined with multiple apertures51, slits52each sandwiched between two adjacent apertures51to communicate the two adjacent apertures51and a second cutout53defined in a side face of the support5so as to receive therein a spring55having an arm551extending out therefrom. The first moving portion11is connected to a plate15having a protrusion14formed on a side face of the plate15to correspond to one of the slits52and provided with two wings141respectively extending from two opposite sides of the protrusion14to correspond to one of the apertures51. The plate15is pivotally connected to a fixing seat12defining therethrough a long hole120and holes (not labeled) to correspond to the threaded holes43of the column4. The fixing seat12has two ears122extending from a bottom face of the fixing seat12and respectively having an axle hole1221aligned with each other to allow an axle123to extend through the axle holes, a second spring13located between the two ears122and into a side face of the plate15so as to allow the fixing seat12to be pivotable relative to the plate15. The plate15is abutted against the vertical portion50of the support5to allow the two wings141to be received in a corresponding one of the apertures51. Thereafter, fixing seat12is securely mounted on top of the column4via screws threadingly extending through the holes of the fixing seat12and into the threaded holes43of the column4. Then the combination of the plate15and the support5are inserted into the column4to allow the second spring13to abut an inner face of the column4and the arm551to abut an inner face defining the track42of the column4as shown inFIG. 11.

With reference toFIG. 12, when the user moves the first moving portion11, the two wings141are able to escape from the corresponding aperture51, yet the protrusion14is still received in the corresponding slit52. In the meantime, the user is able to move the column4relative to the support5to adjust the height of the armrest. After adjustment, the user releases the first moving portion11to allow the recoil force from the second spring13to push the plate15back to its original position such that the two wings141are received in a new corresponding aperture51of the support5to fix the support4relative to the support5.

With reference toFIGS. 2,5,6,7A and7B, the first rocking device2of the preset invention includes a base21and a moving plate22. The base21has multiple laterally formed ribs211, multiple recesses212defined in one of the ribs211, multiple screw holes213and multiple laterally extending slits214defining through the base21. The moving plate22is configured to be received in the base21and has a concave220defined in a bottom face of the moving plate22to sequentially receive therein an elastomer221and a pin23(as shown inFIG. 7A) to be selectively received in a corresponding one of the recesses212. The elastomer221may be a rubber tube, a spring or the like. The moving plate22further has a centrally formed boss201and two protrusions202each oppositely formed relative to one another. Further, a substantially slender rocking plate203is attached to a top face of the moving plate22. The rocking plate203has a central hole2033defined to correspond to the boss201of the moving plate22, two securing holes2034each defined in a position opposite to each other, a sleeve2036extending from a bottom face defining the respective securing hole2034, two wings2031respectively and oppositely formed relative to each other and each wing2031having multiple sectorially formed grooves2032defined in a bottom face of the wing2031to correspond to the respective protrusion202of the moving plate22.

With reference toFIGS. 2,8and9, it is noted that after the base21and the moving plate22are assembled, the boss201of the moving plate22is received in the central hole2033of the rocking plate203and the sleeves2036are extended through the slits214of the base21. Screws2035are employed to extend through the securing holes2034of the rocking plate203, the screw holes213of the base21to secure the rocking plate203to the base21and into the threaded holes43of the column4. Thus the moving plate22is securely sandwiched between the base21and the rocking plate203. Therefore, when the base21is moved, due to the moving plate22being immovable, the movement of the base21will cause the rib211to force the pin23to compress the elastomer221until the pin23is received in a different recess212. Thereafter, the recovery force from the elastomer221will position the pin23in that recess212such that the purpose of adjusting the base21to the left or to the right is achieved.

Furthermore, because the moving plate22is fixed relative to the base21due to the pin23of the moving plate22being positioned in the corresponding one of the recesses212, movement of the base21will drive the moving plate22to move accordingly. Thus each of the protrusions202of the moving plate22is able to move among the grooves2032of each of the wings2031of the rocking plate203so that positioning effect of the movement of the base21is accomplished.

With reference toFIGS. 2,3, and4, it is noted that the movement controlling device3of the present invention includes a substrate31and an elastic board32. The substrate31is provided with multiple indents312and multiple elongated slots311. The elastic board32has a head322formed on a bottom face of the elastic board32and multiple holes321. When the substrate31and the elastic board32are assembled, screws33are employed to extend through the holes321, the elongated slots311and into the screw holes213of the base21and the head322is received in a corresponding one of the indents312(as shown inFIG. 3). On top of the substrate31, a hollow armrest cover34is provided to encase the elastic board32. Under the situation where the base21and the elastic board32are fixed, movement of the substrate31is able to allow the head322to be received in a different corresponding one of the indents312to position the substrate31and the armrest cover34, as shown inFIG. 4.

With reference toFIG. 13, the user is able to adjust a distance between two armrests, adjust extension length of the armrest as shown inFIG. 14or to adjust a height of the armrest by moving the first moving portion11or to adjust the angle of the armrest as shown inFIG. 16.