Abstract:
A control device for use in a chair is disclosed to include a casing fastened to the chair at the bottom side, a control rod pivoted to the casing, and an operating handle pivoted to the control rod and turnable between an operative position for rotation by the user to bias the control rod to further control rotation/lifting of the chair and a collapsed non-operative position to reduce space occupation of the chair for delivery.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a control device for chair and more particularly, to a control device having a collapsible operating handle.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Taiwan patent publication no. 283907 discloses a chair back adjustment structure. According to this design, the chair comprises a seat frame supporting a seat, a back coupled to the seat by coupling means, an actuation cylinder installed in the seat, and a rotary control bar for rotation by the user to drive the actuation cylinder to tilt the back relative to the seat. According to this design, the rotary control bar has two ends respectively protruding over the two opposite lateral sides of the chair at a distance. During packing or delivery, the rotary control bar may be broken or damaged easily. Further, the protruding part of the rotary control bar greatly increases the packing size of the chair for delivery.  
         [0005]     Therefore, it is desirable to provide an adjustment control device that eliminates the aforesaid problem.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a control device for use in a chair to control a functional mechanism of the chair, which is collapsible to reduce space occupation of the chair for delivery. It is another object of the present invention to provide a control device, which enables the user to collapse the operating handle preventing damage during packing or delivery.  
         [0007]     To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the control device comprises a casing installed in the bottom side of a chair, a control rod pivoted to the casing, and an operating handle pivoted to the control rod and turnable between an operative position for rotation by the user to bias the control rod to further control rotation/lifting of the chair and a collapsed non-operative position to reduce space occupation of the chair for delivery. In an alternate form of the present invention, two control rods are provided at two sides of the casing for a different function control, and two operating handles respectively pivoted to the two control rods and turnable relative to the respective control rod between the operative position and the collapsed non-operative position.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing showing a control device installed in a chair according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is an elevational assembly view of the control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side view partially in section of the control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the screw bolt fastened to the flat end tip of the operating handle and the flat end notch of the control rod.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing adjustment of the operating handle between the operative position and the non-operative position.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a side view partially in section of the control device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is an elevational assembly view of a control device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is an elevational assembly view of a control device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a control device  20  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown installed in a chair  10  for swivel or lifting control.  
         [0018]     The chair  10  comprises a seat  11 , a back  12  for supporting the back of the user sitting on the seat  11 , a stand (not shown) and a seat post  111  for supporting the seat  11 , and a connecting bar  121 , which has a first end fixedly fastened to the bottom side of the back  12  and a second end suspended below the seat  11 .  
         [0019]     The control device  20  comprises a casing  21 , which receives the second end of the connecting bar  121  for enabling the connecting bar  121  to be moved forwards/backwards relative to the casing  21  to adjust the pitch between the back  12  and the seat  11 , a vertical barrel  22 , which is formed integral with the casing  21  and sleeved onto the seat post  111 , a lock  23  adapted to lock the casing  21  to the connecting bar  121 , a control rod  31  pivotally mounted in the casing  21 , and an operating handle  32  coupled to the control rod  31  for operation by hand to bias the control rod  31  and to further control rotation of the seat  11  with the back  12  on the seat post  111  or lifting of the seat  11  relative to the seat post  111 . Because the rotation/lifting control is of the known art and not within the scope of the claims of the present invention, no further detailed description in this regard is necessary.  
         [0020]     Referring to FIGS.  3 ˜ 5 , the control rod  31  has a flat end notch  311  in the outer end thereof. The operating handle  32  has a flat end tip  321  fitting the flat end notch  311  of the control rod  31  (see  FIG. 3 ). The flat end tip  321  of the operating handle  32  is inserted into the flat end notch  311  of the control rod  31  and pivotally secured thereto by a screw bolt  33  and a spring washer  34  (see  FIG. 4 ). When installed, the user can rotate the operating rod  32  to bias the control rod  31 . Further, the operating rod  32  can be turned about the screw bolt  33  between the operative position where the operating rod  32  and the control rod  31  are aligned in a line (see the rear line in  FIG. 5 ) and the non-operative (collapsed) position where the operating rod  32  and the control rod  31  are maintained at right angles to save delivery space (see the imaginary line in  FIG. 5 ).  
         [0021]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show a control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception of the connecting structure between the control rod and the operating rod. According to this embodiment, the control rod  41  has an end projection  411  axially projected from the outer end, and the operating handle  42  has an end projection  421  axially projected from one end and fitting the end projection  411  of the control rod  41 . A screw bolt  43  is fastened to the end projection  421  of the operating handle  42  and the end projection  411  of the control rod  41  and secured thereto with a spring washer  44  to connect the operating handle  42  to the control rod  41 , for enabling the operating handle  42  to be rotated by the user to bias the control rod  41  or turned about the screw bolt  43  between the operative position and the non-operative (collapsed) position.  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a control device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the control device  50  comprises a casing  51 , a barrel  52 , and a lock  53 . The casing  51 , the barrel  52  and the lock  53  are substantially similar to like parts in the aforesaid first and second embodiments. The control device  50  further comprises two control rods  61  pivotally installed in the casing  51  at two sides for different function control, and two operating handles  62  respectively pivotally coupled to the control rods  61  by a respective screw bolt  63 . When installed, each operating handle  62  can be rotated to bias the respective control rod  61 , or turned about the respective screw bolt  63  relative to the respective control rod  61  between the operative position and the non-operative (collapsed) position.  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  shows a control device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the control device  70  comprises a casing  71 , a barrel  72 , and a lock  73 . The casing  71 , the barrel  72  and the lock  73  are substantially similar to like parts in the aforesaid first, second and third embodiments. The control device  70  further comprises two control rods  81  pivotally installed in the casing  71  at one lateral side for different function control, and two operating handles  82  respectively pivotally coupled to the control rods  81  by a respective screw bolt  83 . When installed, each operating handle  82  can be rotated to bias the respective control rod  81 , or turned about the respective screw bolt  83  relative to the respective control rod  81  between the operative position and the non-operative (collapsed) position.  
         [0024]     A prototype of control device having a collapsible operating handle has been constructed with the features of FIGS.  1 ˜ 9 . The control device having a collapsible operating handle functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.  
         [0025]     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.