Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5853223?dq=6,373,753
Timestamp: 2017-09-22 02:08:31
Document Index: 61532414

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 67', 'art 67', 'art 67', 'art 68', 'art 69', 'art 69', 'art 69']

Patent US5853223 - Height-adjustable chair arm assembly - Google Patents
A chair having height-adjustable arm assemblies mounted adjacent opposite sides of the seat. Each arm assembly includes a horizontally elongated armrest which adjacent one end is connected to an upper end of a support column. The support column is axially slidably supported within an elongate support...http://www.google.com/patents/US5853223?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5853223 - Height-adjustable chair arm assembly
Publication number US5853223 A
Application number US 08/857,032
Also published as CA2223628A1, CA2223628C, DE69634739D1, DE69634739T2, DE69635290D1, DE69635290T2, DE69635596D1, DE69635596T2, EP0957723A1, EP0957723A4, EP0957723B1, EP1410737A1, EP1410737B1, EP1442676A1, EP1442676B1, US5647638, US6106070, WO1996039903A1
Publication number 08857032, 857032, US 5853223 A, US 5853223A, US-A-5853223, US5853223 A, US5853223A
Inventors Robert T. Ritt, Steve J. Nemeth, Jr., Richard N. Roslund, Jr.
Patent Citations (33), Referenced by (63), Classifications (8), Legal Events (5)
Height-adjustable chair arm assembly
US 5853223 A
A chair having height-adjustable arm assemblies mounted adjacent opposite sides of the seat. Each arm assembly includes a horizontally elongated armrest which adjacent one end is connected to an upper end of a support column. The support column is axially slidably supported within an elongate support tube which projects downwardly adjacent a side of the chair seat. The support column and support tube have a cooperating linear anti-friction bearing arrangement therebetween, the latter incorporating a resilient support track to eliminate circumferential clearance. A latch mechanism includes a movable latch member carried on the column and cooperating with a plurality of latch-receiving slots formed in the support tube. The latch member is activated by a push rod which projects upwardly through the support column, and at its upper end is activated by an actuating lever which is pivoted on and projects lengthwise of the armrest and terminates in an actuating button disposed under the front end of the armrest.
1. In a chair having a seat assembly, a back projecting upwardly from and adjacent a rear edge of the seat assembly, and a height-adjustable arm assembly mounted on and disposed adjacent one side of said seat assembly and projecting upwardly in cantilevered relation therefrom, the improvement wherein said arm assembly comprises:
an arm attachment bracket fixed to said seat assembly and including a vertically elongate support tube disposed adjacent said one side of said seat assembly, said support tube defining therein a lengthwise and vertically elongate guide bore which is open at the upper end thereof;
a vertically elongate support column lengthwise movably supported within said bore and projecting upwardly therefrom and terminating at an upper end part which is disposed at an elevation spaced upwardly above said seat assembly;
a horizontally elongate armrest mounted on the upper end part of said support column and projecting horizontally therefrom so as to terminate at a free end, said armrest having a hub part which is horizontally rotatable supported on the upper end part of said support column for permitting said armrest to be horizontally swingably displaced about a substantially vertical axis relative to said support column;
a releasable latch arrangement coacting between the support column and the support tube for permitting the support column to be stationarily fixedly positioned relative to the support tube at any one of a plurality of selectable height positions, said latch arrangement including a latch member movably supported on and carried by said support column and being movable between a release position and a latching position, said latch member when in said latching position being engaged with one of a series of latching stops which are formed in lengthwise-spaced relation along said support tube; and
a latch-activating mechanism extending from said armrest through said support column for displacing said latch member into a released position, said latch-activating mechanism including an activating lever extending lengthwise of and pivotally supported on said armrest and terminating in a manually-engageable button part disposed on an underside of said armrest adjacent the free end thereof, and an activating rod extending interiorly and lengthwise of said support column and having a lower end cooperating with said latch member and an upper end cooperating with said activating lever, the upper end part of said column comprises a tube portion which is rotatably supported within said hub part, said activating rod having an upper end part which projects coaxially upwardly through said tube portion and is engaged by a rearward end of said activating lever.
2. In a chair having a seat assembly, a back projecting upwardly from and adjacent a rear edge of the seat assembly, and a height-adjustable arm assembly mounted on and disposed adjacent one side of said seat assembly and projecting upwardly in cantilevered relation therefrom, the improvement wherein said arm assembly comprises:
a horizontally elongate armrest mounted on the upper end part of said support column and projecting horizontally therefrom so as to terminate at a free end, said armrest having a hub part which is horizontally rotatable supported on the upper end part of said support column for permitting said armrest to be horizontally swingably displaced about a substantially vertical axis relative to said support column, said chair including a multi-position resilient detent arrangement cooperating between said armrest and said support column for permitting the armrest to be maintained in a plurality of different positions which are horizontally angularly displaced from one another about said swivel axis;
a latch-activating mechanism extending from said armrest through said support column for displacing said latch member into a released position, said latch-activating mechanism including an activating lever extending lengthwise of and pivotally supported on said armrest and terminating in a manually-engageable button part disposed on an underside of said armrest adjacent the free end thereof, and an activating rod extending interiorly and lengthwise of said support column and having a lower end cooperating with said latch member and an upper end cooperating with said activating lever.
3. In a chair having a seat assembly, a back projecting upwardly from and adjacent a rear edge of the seat assembly, and a height-adjustable arm assembly mounted on and disposed adjacent one side of said seat assembly and projecting upwardly in cantilevered relation therefrom, the improvement wherein said arm assembly comprises:
a latch-activating mechanism extending from said armrest through said support column for displacing said latch member into a released position, said latch-activating mechanism including an activating lever extending lengthwise of and pivotally supported on said armrest and terminating in a manually-engageable button part disposed on an underside of said armrest adjacent the free end thereof, and an activating rod extending interiorly and lengthwise of said support column and having a lower end cooperating with said latch member and an upper end cooperating with said activating lever, said activating lever being horizontally rotatably connected to said upper end of said activating rod so as to effect movement of said activating rod vertically along said support column while permitting said horizontal swinging displacement of said armrest relative to said support column.
4. In a chair having a seat assembly, a back projecting upwardly from and adjacent a rear edge of the seat assembly, and a height-adjustable arm assembly mounted on and disposed adjacent one side of said seat assembly and projecting upwardly in cantilevered relation therefrom, the improvement wherein said arm assembly comprises:
a horizontally elongate armrest mounted on the upper end part of said support column and projecting horizontally therefrom so as to terminate at a free end;
a releasable latch arrangement coacting between the support column and the support tube for permitting the support column to be stationarily fixedly positioned relative to the support tube at any one of a plurality of selectable height positions, said latch arrangement including a latch member pivotally supported on and carried by said support column and being movable between a release position and a latching position, said latch member when in said latching position being engaged with one of a series of latching stops which are formed in lengthwise-spaced relation along said support tube; and
a latch-activating mechanism extending from said armrest through said support column for displacing said latch member into a released position, said latch-activating mechanism including an activating lever extending lengthwise of and pivotally supported on said armrest and terminating in a manually-engageable button part disposed on an underside of said armrest adjacent the free end thereof, and an activating rod extending interiorly and lengthwise of said support column and having a lower end cooperating with said latch member and an upper end cooperating with said activating lever, said activating lever moving said activating rod vertically, said lower end of said activating rod and said latch member including cooperating cam surfaces which are inclined such that vertical movement of said activating rod effects pivoting of said latch member from said latching position to said release position.
5. A chair according to claim 4, wherein said cam surface of said activating rod is defined by a roller rotatably connected to said lower end of said activating rod.
9. In a chair having a seat assembly and a pair of height-adjustable arm assemblies mounted on and disposed adjacent opposite sides of said seat assembly and projecting upwardly in cantilevered relation therefrom, the improvement wherein said arm assembly comprises:
an arm attachment bracket fixed to said seat assembly and including a vertically elongate support tube disposed adjacent one side of said seat assembly, said support tube defining therein a lengthwise and vertically elongate guide bore which is open at the upper end thereof;
a vertically elongate support column lengthwise movably supported within said bore and projecting upwardly therefrom and terminating at an upper end part;
an armrest mounted on the upper end part of said support column;
a releasable latch arrangement coacting between the support column and the support tube for permitting the support column to be stationarily fixedly positioned relative to the support tube at any one of a plurality of selectable height positions, said latch arrangement including a latch member movably supported on and carried by said support column and being movable between a release position and a latching position, said latch member when in said latching position being engaged sidewardly with one of a series of latching stops which are formed in lengthwise-spaced relation along said support tube; and
a latch-activating mechanism extending from said armrest through said support column for displacing said latch member to said release position, said latch-activating mechanism including an activating lever terminating in a manually-engageable button part disposed on an underside of said armrest, and an activating rod extending interiorly and lengthwise of said support column and having a lower end cooperating with said latch member and an upper end cooperating with said activating lever such that said activating lever moves said activating rod vertically, said latch member having an inclined cam surface, and said lower end abutting against said cam surface such that movement of said activating rod vertically effects sideward movement of said latch member to said release position.
10. A chair according to claim 9, wherein said armrest has a hub part which is horizontally rotatably supported on the upper end part of said support column for permitting said armrest to be horizontally swingably displaced about a substantially vertical axis relative to said support column.
19. In a chair having a seat assembly and a height-adjustable arm assembly disposed on one side of said seat assembly and projecting upwardly therefrom, the improvement wherein said arm assembly comprises:
a vertically elongate support tube disposed adjacent said one side of said seat assembly, said support tube defining therein a lengthwise and vertically elongate guide bore which has an open end;
a vertically elongate support column lengthwise movably supported within said bore and projecting vertically from said open end;
an armrest which is supported on said seat assembly by said support tube and said support column which extend vertically therebetween;
a releasable latch arrangement coacting between the support column and the support tube for permitting the support column to be stationarily fixedly positioned relative to the support tube at any one of a plurality of selectable height positions, said latch arrangement including a latch member movably supported on and carried by said support column and being movable between a released position and a latching position, said latch member when in said latching position being engaged sidewardly with one of a series of latching stops which are formed in lengthwise-spaced relation along said support tube; and
a latch-activating mechanism connected to said latch member for displacing said latch member to said release position, said latch-activating mechanism including a manually-engageable actuator, and an activating rod extending interiorly and lengthwise of said support column and having a drive end cooperating with said latch member and an opposite end cooperating with said actuator such that said actuator moves said activating rod vertically, said drive end of said activating rod and said latch member having cooperating surfaces such that movement of said activating rod vertically effects sideward movement of said latch member to said release position, said latch-activating mechanism further including biasing means acting sidewardly on said latch member for moving said latch member to said latching position while effecting vertical movement of said activating rod.
20. A chair according to claim 19, wherein said latch member moves in a sideward direction and said cooperating surfaces are oriented transverse to said sideward direction.
22. In a chair having a seat assembly, a back projecting upwardly from a location adjacent a rear edge of the seat assembly, and a pair of height-adjustable arm assemblies mounted on and disposed adjacent opposite sides of said seat assembly and projecting upwardly in cantilevered relation therefrom, the improvement wherein each arm assembly comprises:
an arm upright fixed to said seat assembly and including a vertically elongate support segment disposed on one side of said seat assembly, said support segment defining therein a vertically elongate guide bore which is open at an upper end thereof;
an armrest having a vertically elongate slide tube lengthwise movably supported within said guide bore and projecting upwardly therefrom and terminating at an upper end part which is disposed at an elevation spaced upwardly above said seat assembly, said armrest further having a horizontally elongate arm element mounted on the upper end part of said slide tube and projecting horizontally therefrom;
a releasable latch arrangement coacting between said support segment and said slide tube for permitting said slide tube to be stationarily fixedly positioned relative to said support segment at any one of a plurality of selectable height positions, said latch arrangement including a latch member movably supported and carried in said slide tube and being movable between a release position and a latching position, said latch member when in said latching position being engaged with one of a series of latching notches which are formed in lengthwise-spaced relation along said support segment; and
a latch-activating mechanism extending from said armrest into said support segment for displacing said latch member between said release position and said latching position, said latch-activating mechanism including an activating arm extending lengthwise of and movably supported on said arm element and terminating in a manually-engageable button part disposed at an underside of said arm element adjacent an end portion thereof, and an activating rod extending interiorly and lengthwise of said support segment and having an upper end cooperating with said activating arm and a lower end engaging a roller which cooperates with a cam surface of said latch member.
23. A height-adjustable arm assembly for a chair, comprising:
an arm upright including a vertically elongate support segment, said support segment defining therein a vertically elongate guide bore which is open at an upper end thereof;
an armrest having a vertically elongate slide tube lengthwise movably supported within said guide bore and projecting upwardly therefrom and terminating at an upper end part, said armrest further having a horizontally elongate arm element mounted on the upper end part of said slide tube and projecting horizontally therefrom;
a releasable latch arrangement coacting between said support segment and said slide tube for permitting said slide tube to be stationarily fixedly positioned relative to said support segment at any one of a plurality of selectable height positions, said latch arrangement including a latch member movably supported and carried by said slide tube and being movable between a latching position and a release position, said latch member when in said latching position being engaged with one of a series of latching notches which are formed in lengthwise-spaced relation along said support segment; and
a latch-activating mechanism extending from said armrest into said support segment for displacing said latch member between said latching position and said release position, said latch-activating mechanism including an activating lever extending lengthwise of and pivotally supported on said arm element and terminating in a manually-engageable button part disposed at an underside of said arm element adjacent an end portion thereof, and an activating rod extending interiorly and lengthwise of said support segment and having an upper end cooperating with said activating lever and a lower end engaging a roller which cooperates with a cam surface of said latch member.
24. A height-adjustable arm assembly for a chair, comprising:
an arm upright including an elongate support segment, said support segment defining therein a guide bore which is open at one end thereof, said support segment having a series of latching notches formed therein;
an armrest having a slide tube and an arm element, said slide tube having a first end which is supported within said guide bore and a second end which is attached to said arm element;
a latch arrangement for permitting said slide tube to be positioned relative to said support segment at any one of a plurality of height positions, said latch arrangement including a latch member being movable between a latching position and a release position, said latch member being engaged with one of the series of latching notches when in said latching position; and
a latch-activating mechanism for moving said latch member between said latching position and said release position, said latch-activating mechanism including an activating lever supported on said arm element, and an activating rod extending into said support segment, said activating rod having an upper end cooperating with said activating lever and a lower end engaging a roller which cooperates with a cam surface of said latch member.
Chairs designed for use particularly in office environments and the like are being increasingly provided with adjustment features and contours so as to improve the ergonomics of the chair, particularly in those situations where the chair is used for long periods of time, such as when an occupant is working at a computer terminal, to provide improved comfort and healthful support of the occupant's body. One of the areas which has been addressed to improve such comfort relates to the chair arms, and some known chairs have provided arms having position adjustability, particularly with respect to the ability to vary the armrest height relative to the seat. The known chairs which possess height-adjustable chair arms typically employ vertically telescopic supports and a cooperating releasable latch arrangement for permitting height adjustment. Most known arrangements, however, have possessed disadvantages, either from a manufacturing or structural viewpoint, or from an operational viewpoint. For example, many of the structures are undesirably complex, and/or possess undesired play or looseness in the telescopic mechanism which interferes with efficient height adjustment and also detracts from the desired stability of the chair arm, and/or the overall support arrangement and cooperating latch mechanism is such as to make release of the latch and adjustment of arm height difficult or inconvenient, particularly to an occupant seated in the chair.
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a chair having the improved height-adjustable chair arm assembly of this invention mounted thereon, this view showing the left-side chair arm assembly;
FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a chair 11, often referred to as an office-type chair. This chair employs a center pedestal 12 which projects upwardly from a base (not shown) and mounts on the upper end thereof a suitable chair control or seat frame 13, the latter mounting thereon the chair seat 14. A chair back 15 projects upwardly from adjacent the rear edge of the seat 14.
More specifically, it is contemplated that the armrests will typically be disposed in the rearward position designated C in FIG. 3 when the occupant is sitting in the chair and is carrying out routine functions since rearward position C results in the armrests being disposed more closely adjacent the back of the chair, and hence the armrests are better positioned for supporting the occupant's arms in the region of the elbow and just forward thereof. However, the arm assembly of this invention is particularly desirable for use when the operator is performing intense keyboarding functions i.e., is sitting in front of and operating a computer keyboard. In such use, it is envisioned that the armrests will then be disposed in the inwardly inclined positions designated at A in FIG. 3. In position A, the armrests project forwardly but are angled transversely inwardly, such as at an angle of about 60° relative to the forward direction. This thus results in the armrests angling inwardly directly in front of the occupant, whereby the armrests are disposed so that the occupant can readily support his/her forearms on the armrests to provide support therefor while operating a keyboard. When the occupant wishes to exit the chair, however, the armrests can readily be moved into forward position D so as to not interfere with access to or from the chair. In situations where the operator is operating a computer using a mouse, the mouse is typically mounted on a separate support located to one side of the keyboard. In such situation the appropriate armrest can then be swung outwardly into position B, in which position the armrest still projects forwardly but is angled outwardly at an angle of approximately 40°. This thus enables the user to again support his/her forearm on the armrest while at the same time manipulating the mouse which is positioned on a separate support adjacent one side of the keyboard.
The support tube 61 is part of the arm attachment bracket 24 and, as illustrated by FIGS. 2-5, this bracket also includes a bracket part 67 which has an elbow-shaped configuration in that one end thereof is fixedly attached to the support tube 61, with this bracket part 67 then projecting outwardly in a rearward direction of the chair and then being curved downwardly through an angle of about 90° so as to project downwardly past the side edge of the chair seat 14. This bracket part 67 at its lower end is then horizontally bent inwardly through an angle of about 90°, as depicted by the bend part 68, and the latter in turn joins to an inwardly projecting enlarged mounting plate part 69. This mounting plate part 69 is at least approximately horizontally oriented, and it projects under the chair seat and overlappingly engages an opposed fixed structure associated with the seat frame, and is suitably fixed thereto by fasteners such as screws or bolts, such being accommodated through the plurality of openings provided in the mounting plate part 69. This latter mode of attachment between the chair arm bracket and the seat frame is generally conventional.
Considering now the support of the column member 41 within the support tube 61, and referring specifically to FIGS. 6 and 12-14, a resilient anti-friction linear bearing arrangement 71 is provided for supportive and relative linear displacement between the column member 41 and the support liner 63. For this purpose the column member 41 has a plurality of grooves 72 (three grooves in the illustrated and preferred embodiment) formed inwardly from the exterior cylindrical surface thereof, which grooves 72 extend axially of the column member 41 through a selected axial length, and are angularly spaced about the column member, which angular spacing at least approaches uniformity in that at least one groove is uniformly angularly spaced between the other two grooves by intermediate angles which significantly exceed 90°. The liner 63 also has three shallow grooves or tracks 73 formed therein and extending axially therealong, these grooves opening radially outwardly from the inner diameter thereof, and being angularly disposed so that each of the grooves 73 is generally opposed to and radially aligned with one of the grooves 72.
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U.S. Classification 297/411.36, 297/411.35, 248/408, 248/118.3
Cooperative Classification A47C1/03, Y10T403/7039