Patent ID: 8136875

Claim:
An armrest assembly, comprising: a pivotable armrest member including a recess suitable for receiving a drinking cup in a seated relation; a frame member receiving the pivotable armrest member in a pivotal relation; a lockable pivoting anchor member linking an end of the pivotable armrest member to the frame member in a pivotal relation, wherein the pivoting anchor member can be locked in at least a deployed configuration; a locking mechanism operatively communicating with the pivoting anchor member and adapted to reversibly lock the pivoting anchor member in at least a deployed configuration; and an actuator operatively communicating with the locking mechanism and adapted to trigger the locking mechanism to engage the pivoting anchor member when the actuator detects an object in the recess; wherein the lockable pivoting anchor member comprises a pivot rod joining the armrest member to the frame member in a pivotal relation; wherein the pivot rod includes an arcuate surface defining a seat for receiving a locking pin of the locking mechanism in a locked relation, the locked relation maintaining the armrest member in a deployed configuration; and, wherein the pivotable armrest member comprises a generally elongate structure having top surface suitable for supporting a human arm, a bottom surface generally opposing the top surface, a proximal end joined in pivoting communication with the frame member, a distal end generally opposing the proximal end, and the recess comprising a cup holder being disposed near the distal end of the pivotable armrest, the cup holder defining a generally annular wall penetrating the top surface of the pivotable armrest member and further defining a recess bottom.