Adjustment mechanism for armrest

An armrest a rope control mechanism is disclosed. The rope mechanism consists of a rope with certain length and a soft tube covering the rope with about same length. The top end of the rope connects to a control button while the lower end of the rope extends downwards and connects with a control member of a seat adjustment mechanism or a seat back adjustment mechanism inside a bottom plate. When the user operates the control button to pull the rope moving up, the rope synchronously pulls the control member of the seat adjustment mechanism or the seat back adjustment mechanism so as to make the seat adjustment mechanism or the seat back adjustment mechanism work. Thus the convenience of operation and adjustment are improved.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an armrest, especially to an armrest with a rope control mechanism that users can adjust seats or seat backs by armrests.

Generally, a plurality of adjustment mechanism is arranged on a seat so as to improve its functions or comfort. For example, a height adjustment mechanism for armrest disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,680 is always arranged inside the armrest and is operated by a control button outside the armrest to adjust height of the armrest. Refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,400-Chair with adjustable seat depth, it is arranged inside a bottom plate on bottom of the seat. A control bar includes an inner end connecting with a control member of a seat/seat back adjustment mechanism and an outer end extending to edges of the bottom of the seat. The control bar of the seat or seat back is respectively disposed on left and right sides of the chair bottom so that the user can operate each adjustment mechanism by his hand. However, such control bar is arranged on bottom of the seat so that the user needs to know position of the outer end of the control bar for operating it. This is troublesome and inconvenience. Thus the convenience of operation of such control bar is far more less than the height adjustment mechanism for armrest arranged on the armrest member directly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an armrest with a rope control mechanism that includes a control button disposed on surface of the armrest and a rope mechanism arranged inside the armrest. The rope mechanism consists of a rope with certain length and a soft tube covering the rope. Moreover, the top end of the rope connects to the control button and the lower end of the rope extends downwards and connects with a control member of a seat adjustment mechanism or a seat back adjustment mechanism. Thereby, users can make the seat adjustment mechanism or the seat back adjustment mechanism by operation of the control button so that the convenience of operation and adjustment are improved.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an armrest with a rope control mechanism and a height adjustment mechanism for an armrest is disposed in the armrest. The rope and the soft tube extend downwards from the control button to form a ring that extends to the bottom plate. Thereby, while adjusting height of the armrest, top end of the rope moves upwards/downwards synchronously with the height of the armrest by opening/closing of the ring. When the rope is pulled up by the control button on the armrest, the rope also pulls a control member inside the bottom plate to make the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism work. Thus the armrest with height adjustment function can also has seat/seat back adjustment function.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the present invention while being used;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the embodiment in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial explosive view of a separated outer sleeve of the embodiment in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a partial explosive view of a separated outer sleeve member of the inner sleeve in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial explosive view of a separated inner sleeve member of the inner sleeve in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial explosive view of a height adjustment mechanism in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an explosive view of the embodiment in FIG. 1 from another viewing angle;

FIG. 9 is a partial explosive view of a rope in the embodiment in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a partial explosive view of a control button for chair seat or seat back of the embodiment in FIG. 9.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Refer to FIG. 1, an armrest 1 with a cable/rope control mechanism 3 is disposed on a left side and a right side of a seat 3 of a chair 2. There is no limit on appearance and structure of the chair 2. Generally, the chair 2 is formed by a seat 3, a seat back 4, a seat base 5, a bottom plate 6 arranged on bottom of the seat 3 and a supporting axis 7 arranged on the seat base 5. A seat adjustment mechanism 8 or a seat back adjustment mechanism 9 for adjusting seat/seat back status is disposed inside the bottom plate 6. Refer to FIG. 2 & FIG. 3, the height of the seat or an inclining angle of the seat back is adjusted by means of control members 81/91 of the seat adjustment mechanism 8/the seat back adjustment mechanism 9 such as a locking member. There are various designs of the control members 81/91 or seat/seat back adjustment mechanism 8/9 inside the chair 2 and the bottom plate 6.

Refer from FIG. 2 to FIG. 10, an armrest 1 of the present invention consist of an armrest member 10, an outer sleeve 20, an inner sleeve 30, a long plate 40, a height adjustment mechanism for an armrest 50, and a rope control mechanism 60 and a base 70. There is no restriction on appearance and structure of the armrest member 10 and generally it's disposed with a soft elastic layer 11. The style of the outer sleeve 20 is also no limit while the top surface of the outer sleeve 20 is fastened on the bottom surface of the armrest member 10. A height control button for armrest 22 and a control button for chair seat or seat back 21 are disposed on an inner side and an outer side of the top end of the outer sleeve (the bottom surface of the armrest member 10) respectively. The so-called inner side means the side of the armrest near the chair seat 3 while the outer side is opposite. The control buttons 21, 22 can also be arranged on one side of the outer sleeve 20 such as the inner side or the outer side. Furthermore, the control button 21 can be two types, respectively for adjusting the chair seat or the seat back. Because one chair 2 includes left and right armrests so that the two types of control buttons 21 can be arranged on the left and the right side of the armrest simultaneously.

The inner sleeve 30 is disposed inside the outer sleeve 20 and it's bottom is fastened on the base 70 extending and fixed on the bottom surface o the chair seat 3. The inner sleeve 30 consists of an outer sleeve member 31 and an inner sleeve member 32 while a locating toothed slot 33 having a plurality of horizontal slots arranged vertically is disposed on the outside wall of the inner sleeve member 32, on the same side with the control button 22. The toothed slot 33 is used in combination with the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest 50 and each slot provides a certain locating height of the armrest member 10. Moreover, a vertical guiding slot 34 is disposed inside the inner sleeve member 32.

The long plate 40 is sleeved in the guiding slot 34 slidingly while its top end is fastened on the rear end of the armrest member 10, together with the armrest member 10 and the outer sleeve 20 to form a body that moves upwards/downwards while the inner sleeve 30 is fixed. A vertical slot 41 is disposed on an inner side of the long plate 40 for accommodating the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest 50. A horizontal insertion slot 42 facing the toothed slot 33 of the inner sleeve 30 is arranged on the bottom of the long plate 40 while another horizontal insertion slot 43 facing the control button 22 of the outer sleeve 30 is disposed on the top of the long plate 40. A projecting axis 44 corresponding to the control button 21, working as rotating axis of the control button 21, is disposed on inner surface of the top of the long plate 40. The control button 21 consists of an outer cantilever 211 and an inner cantilever 212. The inner cantilever 212 is inside the outer sleeve 20 and a rotating end 213 thereof is pivoted on the projecting axis 44 so that a suspending end 214 pivots freely. The outer cantilever 211 is outside the outer sleeve 20 and a rotating end 215 thereof is fixed on the rotating end 213 of the inner cantilever 212 so that a suspending end 216 of the outer cantilever 211 can be pulled and pivoted. In use, when the suspending end 216 is pulled and pivoted through a certain angle, from the first position (I), to the second position (II), the suspending end 214 is driven to move from the first position (I) to the second position (II) synchronously, pivoting an angle, as shown in FIG. 10. Thus the operation of the control button 21 is achieved.

The height adjustment mechanism for an armrest 50 is mounted in the vertical slot 41 of the long plate 40 and is formed by a projecting axis 51, a locating retaining block 52, an elastic piece 53, a tilt piece 54 and a recovery spring 55. The projecting axis 51 is on the outer side of the top side thereof and is inserting through the horizontal insertion slot 43 for being assembled with the control button 22 so that the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest 50 can be operated by the control button 22 to adjust height of the armrest. The locating retaining block 52 inserts through the horizontal insertion slot 42 under the vertical slot 41 and locks with one of the slots of the locating toothed slot 33. The locating retaining block 52 is arranged on a rear end of the elastic piece 53 that is controlled by the tilt piece 54. The tilt piece 54 is pulled upwards under control of the control button 22 and is turned back by means of the recovery spring 55. While pulling the control button 22 upward and the tilt piece 54 synchronously moving upwards, the locating retaining block 52 retracts from the horizontal insertion slot 42 and is released from the slot of the locating toothed slot 33. Now move the armrest member 10 upwards/downwards to adjust the height thereof. When the control button 22 is released and the tilt piece 54 turns back, the retaining block 52 moves horizontally inside the horizontal insertion slot 42 so as to project outside the horizontal insertion slot 42 and lock into one slot of the locating toothed slot 33. Therefore, the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest 50 is operated by the control button 22 to adjust height of the armrest.

A rope control mechanism 60 consists of a rope 61 with certain length and an enclosing soft tube 62 with about the same length. The rope control mechanism 60 is disposed between the control button 21 and the seat/seat back adjustment mechanisms 8/9 in the bottom plate 6. An top end 63 of the rope 61 is connected to the suspending end 214 of the inner cantilever 212. When the control button 21 is not pushed yet, the top end 63 of the rope 61 and the suspending end 214 stop at a first position (I). When the control button 21 is pushed, the suspending end 214 pivots at a certain angle to a second position (II) so that the rope 61 relatively moves up a certain distance while the top end of the soft tube 62 holds still, as shown in FIG. 10. The rope 61 and the soft tube 62 extend downwards, through the inner side of the long plate 40 and the inner wall of the inner sleeve 30, moving around the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest 50 to form a ring 64, then go inserting through the bottom of the inner sleeve 30, along the base 70, and finally being fastened on the bottom plate 6. Moreover, the lower end 65 of the rope 61 connects the control members 81/91 of the seat/seat back adjustment mechanisms 8/9 inside then bottom plate 6, as shown in FIG. 2 & FIG. 3. When the rope 61 is pulled up by the control button 21, the lower end 65 of the rope 61 is synchronously pulled outwards and the control members 81/91 is driven to move so as to make the seat/seat back adjustment mechanisms 8/9 work. Thus the seat or seat back is adjusted.

When the force applied on the control button 21 disappears, the rope 61 turns back to the original position by a recovery spring 66 of the seat/seat back adjustment mechanisms 8/9. Refer to FIG. 2 & FIG. 3, the connection way between the control members 81/91 inside the bottom plate 6 and the lower end 65 of the rope 61 is only an embodiment and is not limited.

When the user operates the control button 22 to adjust height of the armrest member 10 by means of the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest 50, the upper end 63 of the rope 61 also moves upwards/downwards synchronously. Now the ring 64 of the rope control mechanism 60 opens/closes while the armrest member 10 is adjusted downwards/upwards. Thus the rope 61 will not move and the control members 81/91 are not pulled to move. When the armrest member 10 is adjusted to certain height, the seat/seat back can also be adjusted by the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism 8/9 that is operated by the control button 21. Thus the armrest of the present invention can also adjust status of the seat or seat back. Therefore, convenience of operation is improved.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An armrest with a rope control mechanism arranged on right and left sides of a seat of a chair comprising: at least an armrest member, an outer sleeve; a bottom plate arranged on bottom of the seat, at least one control member, a seat/seat back adjustment mechanism disposed inside the bottom plate while the control member is pulled so as to adjust height or inclining angle of the seat or a seat back; the armrest with a rope control mechanism features on that: a control bottom for adjusting the seat/seat back is disposed on one side of the outer sleeve under the armrest member, and a rope mechanism having a rope and a soft tube covering the rope is arranged inside the outer sleeve while a top end of the rope connects to the control button so that the rope can be moved up by operating the control button; a lower end of the rope and the soft tube connects to the control member of the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism inside the bottom plate; wherein while operating the control button to pull up the top end of the rope, the lower end of the rope synchronously pulls the control member inside the bottom plate to move for making the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism work so as to adjust the seat or the seat back.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the armrest is further disposed with a height adjustment mechanism for an armrest so as to adjust height of and locate the armrest member.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a height control button for armrest and a height adjustment mechanism for an armrest are disposed on an outer side and an inner side of the outer sleeve under the armrest member while a rope control mechanism having a rope and a soft tube is arranged inside the outer sleeve; the top end of the rope connects to the control button so that the rope is pulled up by operation of the control button while the rope and the soft tube extend inside the outer sleeve downwards to form a ring and the lower end of the rope connects with a control member of a seat/seat back adjustment mechanism; wherein once height of the armrest member of the armrest is adjusted, the ring formed by the rope and the soft tube opens by adjusting the armrest member moving downwards or closes by adjusting the armrest member moving upwards while the control member is not moved by the rope; while operating the control button to pull up the top end of the rope, the lower end of the rope synchronously pulls the control member of the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism inside the bottom plate to move for making the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism work so as to adjust the seat or the seat back.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the armrest comprising: an armrest member, an outer sleeve, an inner sleeve, a long plate, a height adjustment mechanism for an armrest, and a rope control mechanism and a base; wherein the armrest member is for a user to leaning against;

the outer sleeve whose top surface is fastened on the bottom of the armrest member and a height control button for armrest and a control button for chair seat/seat back are disposed on an inner side and an outer side of the top end of the outer sleeve respectively;
the inner sleeve is disposed inside the outer sleeve and a bottom of the inner sleeve is fastened on the base while a locating toothed slot having a plurality of horizontal slots is arranged vertically is disposed on the outside wall of the inner sleeve and a vertical guiding slot is disposed inside the inner sleeve;
the long plate is sleeved in the guiding slot of the inner sleeve while a top end thereof is fastened on the rear end of the armrest member so that the armrest member, the outer sleeve and the long plate form a body that moves jointly; a vertical slot is disposed on the long plate for accommodating the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest and a horizontal insertion slot facing the toothed slot of the inner sleeve is arranged on the bottom of the long plate while another horizontal insertion slot facing the height control button for armrest of the outer sleeve is disposed on the top of the long plate; a projecting axis corresponding to a seat/seat back control button, working as rotating axis of the seat/seat back control button, is disposed on inner surface of the top of the long plate;
he height adjustment mechanism for an armrest is mounted in the vertical slot of the long plate and comprising a projecting axis, a locating retaining block, an elastic piece, a tilt piece and a recovery spring; the projecting axis is on an outer side of a top side thereof and is inserting through the horizontal insertion slot for being assembled with the height control button; the locating retaining block inserts through the horizontal insertion slot under the vertical slot of the long plate; a rear end of the elastic piece connects to the locating retaining block; the tilt piece slides up/down by operation of the height control button so as to drive the rear end of the elastic piece moving horizontally so that the locating retaining block moves in the horizontal slot and locks into the slot of the locating toothed slot or releases from the slot thereof; the recovery spring makes the silt piece turn back; wherein when the height control button is pulled up and the tilt piece synchronously moving upwards, the locating retaining block retracts from the horizontal insertion slot and is released from the slot of the locating toothed slot so that the armrest member is moved up/down to adjust the height thereof; when the control button is released and the tilt piece turns back, the retaining block moves horizontally inside the horizontal insertion slot so as to project outside the horizontal insertion slot and lock into one slot of the locating toothed slot; thereby, the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest is operated by the height control button to adjust height of the armrest;
the rope control mechanism having a rope with certain length and an enclosing soft tube with about the same length is disposed between the seat/seat back control button and the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism inside the bottom plate; an top end of the rope is connected to the seat/seat back control button; when the seat/seat back control button is not pushed, the top end of the rope stops at a first position; the rope and the soft tube extend downwards, through the inner side of the long plate and the inner wall of the inner sleeve, moving around the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest to form a ring, then go inserting through the bottom of the inner sleeve, along the base, and finally being fastened on the bottom plate; the lower end of the rope connects the control members of the seat/seat back adjustment mechanisms inside then bottom plate while when the rope is pulled up by the seat/seat back control button, the lower end of the rope is synchronously pulled outwards and the control members is driven to move;
the base is fastened on the bottom of the inner sleeve and extending to the inner side for being further fastened on the bottom of the seat;
wherein when the height of the armrest member is adjusted by operating the height control button, the top end of the rope synchronously moves up or down to adjust the height and relatively the ring opens or closes; when the armrest member is adjusted to a certain height, the seat/seat back control button is operated to make the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism work.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the seat/seat back control button comprising an outer cantilever and an inner cantilever; the inner cantilever having a rotating end and a suspending end is inside the outer sleeve while the rotating end is pivoted on the projecting axis of the long plate so that the suspending end pivots freely; the outer cantilever is outside the outer sleeve and a rotating end of the outer cantilever is fixed on the rotating end of the inner cantilever so that a suspending end of the outer cantilever is able to be pulled and pivoted; wherein when the outer cantilever is pulled and the suspending end of the outer cantilever is moved and pivoted at a certain angle, from a first position to a second position, the suspending end of the inner cantilever is synchronously driven to move from a first position to a second position, pivoting an angle, for pulling the rope.

6. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a height control button for armrest and a height adjustment mechanism for an armrest are disposed on an outer side and an inner side of the outer sleeve under the armrest member while a rope control mechanism having a rope and a soft tube is arranged inside the outer sleeve; the top end of the rope connects to the control button so that the rope is pulled up by operation of the control button while the rope and the soft tube extend inside the outer sleeve downwards to form a ring and the lower end of the rope connects with a control member of a seat/seat back adjustment mechanism; wherein once height of the armrest member of the armrest is adjusted, the ring formed by the rope and the soft tube opens by adjusting the armrest member moving downwards or closes by adjusting the armrest member moving upwards while the control member is not moved by the rope; while operating the control button to pull up the top end of the rope, the lower end of the rope synchronously pulls the control member of the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism inside the bottom plate to move for making the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism work so as to adjust the seat or the seat back.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the armrest comprising: an armrest member, an outer sleeve, an inner sleeve, a long plate, a height adjustment mechanism for an armrest, and a rope control mechanism and a base; wherein the armrest member is for a user to leaning against;

the outer sleeve whose top surface is fastened on the bottom of the armrest member and a height control button for armrest and a control button for chair seat/seat back are disposed on an inner side and an outer side of the top end of the outer sleeve respectively;
the inner sleeve is disposed inside the outer sleeve and a bottom of the inner sleeve is fastened on the base while a locating toothed slot having a plurality of horizontal slots is arranged vertically is disposed on the outside wall of the inner sleeve and a vertical guiding slot is disposed inside the inner sleeve;
the long plate is sleeved in the guiding slot of the inner sleeve while a top end thereof is fastened on the rear end of the armrest member so that the armrest member, the outer sleeve and the long plate form a body that moves jointly; a vertical slot is disposed on the long plate for accommodating the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest and a horizontal insertion slot facing the toothed slot of the inner sleeve is arranged on the bottom of the long plate while another horizontal insertion slot facing the height control button for armrest of the outer sleeve is disposed on the top of the long plate; a projecting axis corresponding to a seat/seat back control button, working as rotating axis of the seat/seat back control button, is disposed on inner surface of the top of the long plate;
he height adjustment mechanism for an armrest is mounted in the vertical slot of the long plate and comprising a projecting axis, a locating retaining block, an elastic piece, a tilt piece and a recovery spring; the projecting axis is on an outer side of a top side thereof and is inserting through the horizontal insertion slot for being assembled with the height control button; the locating retaining block inserts through the horizontal insertion slot under the vertical slot of the long plate; a rear end of the elastic piece connects to the locating retaining block; the tilt piece slides up/down by operation of the height control button so as to drive the rear end of the elastic piece moving horizontally so that the locating retaining block moves in the horizontal slot and locks into the slot of the locating toothed slot or releases from the slot thereof; the recovery spring makes the silt piece turn back; wherein when the height control button is pulled up and the tilt piece synchronously moving upwards, the locating retaining block retracts from the horizontal insertion slot and is released from the slot of the locating toothed slot so that the armrest member is moved up/down to adjust the height thereof; when the control button is released and the tilt piece turns back, the retaining block moves horizontally inside the horizontal insertion slot so as to project outside the horizontal insertion slot and lock into one slot of the locating toothed slot; thereby, the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest is operated by the height control button to adjust height of the armrest;
the rope control mechanism having a rope with certain length and an enclosing soft tube with about the same length is disposed between the seat/seat back control button and the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism inside the bottom plate; an top end of the rope is connected to the seat/seat back control button; when the seat/seat back control button is not pushed, the top end of the rope stops at a first position; the rope and the soft tube extend downwards, through the inner side of the long plate and the inner wall of the inner sleeve, moving around the height adjustment mechanism for an armrest to form a ring, then go inserting through the bottom of the inner sleeve, along the base, and finally being fastened on the bottom plate; the lower end of the rope connects the control members of the seat/seat back adjustment mechanisms inside then bottom plate while when the rope is pulled up by the seat/seat back control button, the lower end of the rope is synchronously pulled outwards and the control members is driven to move;
the base is fastened on the bottom of the inner sleeve and extending to the inner side for being further fastened on the bottom of the seat;
wherein when the height of the armrest member is adjusted by operating the height control button, the top end of the rope synchronously moves up or down to adjust the height and relatively the ring opens or closes; when the armrest member is adjusted to a certain height, the seat/seat back control button is operated to make the seat/seat back adjustment mechanism work.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the seat/seat back control button comprising an outer cantilever and an inner cantilever; the inner cantilever having a rotating end and a suspending end is inside the outer sleeve while the rotating end is pivoted on the projecting axis of the long plate so that the suspending end pivots freely; the outer cantilever is outside the outer sleeve and a rotating end of the outer cantilever is fixed on the rotating end of the inner cantilever so that a suspending end of the outer cantilever is able to be pulled and pivoted; wherein when the outer cantilever is pulled and the suspending end of the outer cantilever is moved and pivoted at a certain angle, from a first position to a second position, the suspending end of the inner cantilever is synchronously driven to move from a first position to a second position, pivoting an angle, for pulling the rope.

Patent History
Publication number: 20100033005
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 29, 2008
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2010
Inventor: Hwang-Pao Lee (Chu-Pei City)
Application Number: 12/149,270
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Vertically (297/411.36); Armrest (297/411.2)
International Classification: A47C 7/54 (20060101); A47C 7/00 (20060101); A47C 31/00 (20060101);