Patent Publication Number: US-2015084393-A1

Title: Portable Armrest Divider

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to the field of furniture, specifically chairs with armrests. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Row seating is employed in airplanes, movie theaters, waiting rooms, and other similar locations. Their great advantage is that they provide seating for large numbers of people in close proximity of each other. 
     A major disadvantage of row seating as currently offered by the industry is that the armrests are narrow and is difficult to use at the same time for both people sitting in the seats on both sides of the armrests. 
     Another disadvantage is that these armrests are unsanitary. Though common practice is to wipe them down between movies when there is some obvious evidence of a need, e.g., some sort of liquid on the material, these armrests can go entire days without proper cleaning. 
     Travelers often seek some method to expand the space they take while on planes. For these individuals, the size of the armrest is nearly irrelevant—they want to take it all. For the passengers unlucky enough to be seated next to such people, travel can be very uncomfortable. Faced with pushing back against a large and often unruly individual is socially awkward and uncomfortable to many people, who tend to just tolerate the boorish behavior rather than risk an even more unpleasant plane flight by adding a tense conversation. 
     The frequent traveler needs a device that can increase the armrest size available to him, provide some simple barrier to the spatial encroachments by his neighbors, and ensure a sanitary surface on which to rest his arms and elbows. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure a portable armrest divider for use by those in row seating who desire armrests that are wider, more sanitary, or have a separation than the installed armrests provide. 
     Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the disclosure, and to show by way of example how the same may be carried into effect, reference is now made to the detailed description of the disclosure along with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals in the different figures refer to corresponding parts and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the Armrest Divider  100 . 
         FIG. 2  is the second perspective view as  FIG. 1 , viewed more closely than in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a third perspective view of the Armrest Divider. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the Armrest Divider  100  partially folded. 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the Armrest Divider  100  with optional embodiment including a Divider Strap  200 . 
         FIG. 6  shows a front view of the Armrest Divider  100 . 
         FIG. 7  shows a front view of the Armrest Divider  100  in the folded position (not including Mounting Strap  140  and Adjustable Buckle  150 ). 
         FIG. 8  contains a legend for the drawings. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     While the making and using of various embodiments of the present disclosure are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present disclosure provides many applicable inventive concepts, which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The disclosure is primarily described and illustrated hereinafter in conjunction with various embodiments of a folding Portable Armrest Divider  11 . The specific embodiment discussed herein is, however, merely is illustrative of specific ways to make and use the disclosure and do not limit the scope of the disclosure to the specific context disclosed. 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the installed Armrest Divider. 
       FIG. 2  shows the same perspective view of one embodiment of the installed device. This embodiment comprises three flat surfaces  110 ,  120 ,  130  connected by a Hinge  160  on one straight side where they meet. 
     In the embodiment shown in the figures, the Left Side  110  and Right Side  120  are mirror images of each other, with the Section Divider  130  connectedly hinged between them so they can be folded together as a three-page book, as shown in  FIG. 7 , or opened fully as in  FIGS. 1-3 ,  5 , and  6 , so the Left Side  110  and Right Side  120  lay flat on either side of the Section Divider  130 , which acts as a middle page that is constructed to rigidly extend upwards when the Armrest Divider  100  assembly is in an open position. 
     The Armrest Divider  100  is typically mounted on a vehicle armrest, and held in place by two adjustable Mounting Straps  140  that extend from the exterior Sides  110 ,  120  of the is Armrest Divider  100 , down and around the vehicle&#39;s stock armrest, and fixed in place by an Adjustable Buckle  150  below the armrest. 
     The Armrest  100  is currently built using flat inelastic Mounting Straps  140  in conjunction with the Adjustable Buckle  150 , but an alternative embodiment could use elastic Mounting Straps  140  and a non-adjustable buckle, or even just elastic loops that fit over a seat&#39;s armrest to hold them in place. 
       FIG. 4  shows the invention partially closed. This drawing shows a particular location for the Mounting Straps  140  going through slots in the Right and Left Sides  110 ,  120 . (This drawing does not show the lower portion of the straps.) A person with ordinary skill in the art could locate the Mounting Straps  140  in several locations, and use the two straps as shown, or use a different number or type of straps. 
     Though the Left Side and  110  and Right Side  120  are mirror images in this embodiment, the invention does not require that the two sides be alike. The three parts of the Armrest Divider  100  can be all three alike, or substantially different, except that all three of the major components must is attach together on one side. 
     The Armrest Divider  100  must be constructed to hold the central Divider Section  130  vertically in place. There are many means for holding the Divider Section vertical, including the use thick, hinged surfaces as demonstrated and shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , or using Divider Straps  200  that keep the Section Divider  130  upright when the sides are open, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The applicant asserts that a person having ordinary skill in the art could employ a multitude of constructions of the Armrest Divider  100  that allow it to close into an essentially flat product, and open such that the Section Divider  130  is held upright when the Left and Right Sides  110 ,  120  are opened. 
     As the Armrest Divider  100  is currently constructed, a user mounts the invention by: 1) opening the Left and Right Sides  110  and  120 , 2) locating the Armrest Divider  100  on top of the armrest on which the Armrest Divider  100  is to be mounted, 3) joining the two ends of the Mounting Straps  140  under the armrest using the Adjustable Buckle  150 , and 4) tightening the Mounting Straps  140  so the Armrest Divider  100  is held in place. 
     To remove the Armrest Divider  100  from a mounted position on a vehicle armrest, a user simply releases the Adjustable Buckle  150 , folds the Armrest Divider  100 , and picks up the folded Armrest Divider  100  for storage. 
     It is considered within the ambit of one skilled in the art to construct an Armrest Divider  100  that uses other methods of holding the invention in place. For example, for row seats that have a construction disallowing the straps from encircling the stock armrest, a set of fold-out rails that extend from the bottom of the Left and Right Sides  110  and  120 , or a pair of spring-loaded clamps attached at the ends of the device that extend down and grasp the stock armrest.