US20080036265A1

US20080036265A1 - Height Adjustable Chair Armrest

Info

Publication number: US20080036265A1
Application number: US11/832,879
Authority: US
Inventors: Toung-Chun Pan
Original assignee: Oasyschair Co Ltd
Current assignee: Oasyschair Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-08-10
Filing date: 2007-08-02
Publication date: 2008-02-14

Abstract

A height adjustable chair armrest has a lower tube, an upper tube, and a push member. Two circular supporting units are provided on upper and lower ends of the lower tube so that the lower tube has an exact contact with the upper tube and a smooth adjustment can be achieved. A flexible gripper secured to one side of the upper tube receives urgently a fastener provided on one side of the push member so that pressing the push member will make a first protrusion at a lower section of the push member to depart from one of a plurality of holes of the lower tube so as to adjust the height of the armrest. Meanwhile, a protrusion protrudes from an inner side of the upper tube for cooperating with a bar groove extending vertically on the lower tube to provide a smooth guide of movement of the upper tube.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a height adjustment structure for a chair armrest and more particularly a height adjustable armrest structure positioned on both sides of a chair, which is easy to be manufactured and fast to be assembled with stability and accuracy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many models developed and designed by industry for adjusting height of chair armrests. In general, there are provided upper and lower tubes combined together. One of the tubes has a control groove for allowing an elastic lifter assembly to move up-and-down. The other tube is provided with said elastic lifter assembly for adjusting direction and height of the chair armrest. Therefore, a user can adjust the armrest at a desired position and height in accordance with the most comfort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the shortages of the conventional height adjustable chair armrest structure which is currently developed by the industry, the present invention is to provide another improved height adjustable armrest structure for a chair. More particularly, the chair armrest structure of the present invention can be individually manufactured and is easy to be assembled. Further, the chair armrest can keep a stable position while the height adjustment is performed.
In one object of the present invention is to provide a chair armrest structure including an upper and lower tubes and a push member. The push member is mounted on one side of the upper tube. Pressing of an upper section of the push member will make a first protrusion at a lower section of the push member to depart from one of a plurality of holes of the lower tube so as to adjust the height of the armrest by simple operation, and releasing of the upper section of the push member will make the upper section of the push member to return to the original position by expansion of an elastic element and cause the first protrusion at the lower section of the push member to enter into one of the holes of the lower tube at the related position.
In another object of the present invention is that each of upper and lower ends of the lower tube is formed with a circular groove having two spaced holes for allowing a circular supporting unit having an opening to be mounted thereon; and each end of the circular supporting unit defining the opening have an inward protrusion respectively for being inserted into the hole of the circular grooves of the lower tube so that the lower tube has an exact contact with the upper tube and a smooth movement of the upper tube is achieved when the height adjustment of the armrest is performed.
In yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bar groove extending vertically on one side of the lower tube between upper and lower circular grooves for receiving a protrusion protruding from one inner side of the upper tube to provide a smooth guide of movement and a highest and lowest limit of height adjustment when the height adjustment of the armrest is performed.
In yet another object of the present invention is to provide a convex member with a containing space formed on a middle section on one side of the upper tube for receiving a flexible gripper. The gripper is bent to form a gripping space having a narrower opening for allowing a fastener provided on one side of the push member with a wider outer section and a narrower inner section to be fitted therein so that the push member has a flexible and stable contact with the upper tube.
In yet another object of the present invention is to provide a restriction part having an annular groove on one side of the upper tube corresponding to the push member for holding the elastic element by cooperating with a second protrusion on a recess of said push member so as to provide a stable and elastic operation of the push member.
In yet another object of the present invention is to provide a through hole on one end of the upper tube for allowing the first protrusion of the push member to movably pass therethrough and for being coordinated with the plurality of the holes of the lower tube.
In yet another object of the present invention is to provide a frame around the convex member, the restriction part and the through hole for allowing the push member to be mounted thereon and to be flexibly pushable.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view showing a height adjustable chair armrest according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the assembled armrest of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 30-30 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a height adjustment of the chair armrest according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is another perspective exploded view showing the chair armrest according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a view of a partial assembled chair armrest according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

The foregoing aspects, as well as many of the attendant advantages and features of this invention will become more apparent by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The present invention relates to a height adjustable chair armrest. Referring to FIG. 1, the chair armrest structure comprises a lower tube 1, two circular supporting units 2, an upper tube 3, a flexible gripper 4, a push member 5, an elastic element 6, and a pad 7.
The lower tube 1 is made of plastic with a predetermined thickness and a lower section of the lower tube 1 is covered by an L-shaped metal supporting unit 11. The inner side of the lower tube 1 has a bar groove 12 extending vertically. A plurality of holes 13 arranged in the range of the length of the bar groove 12 is provided at one side of the lower tube 1 adjacent the bar groove. Each of the upper and lower ends of the lower tube 1 is formed with a circular groove 14. Each of the circular grooves 14 is provided with two spaced holes 15 on the same side as the bar groove 12.
Each of the circular supporting units 2 has an opening 21 and is shaped in accordance with the shape of the circular grooves 14 of the lower tube 1. The thickness of each circular supporting unit 2 is larger than the width of each circular groove 14 so that the circular supporting units 2 project slightly over the lower tube 1. Each end of each of the circular supporting units 2 defining the opening 21 have an inward protrusion 22 respectively for being inserted into one of the corresponding holes 15 of each circular groove 14 of the lower tube 1.
The movable upper tube 3 has an interior space 31 having a shape depending on the profile of the lower tube 1. A protrusion 32 protrudes from one sidewall of the interior space 31 of the upper tube 3 (in this embodiment, the protrusion 32 has a cross sectional shape of a triangle) for cooperating with the bar groove 12 of the lower tube 1 to provide a smooth guide of movement and a highest and lowest limit of height adjustment. A frame 33 is provided along one side of the upper tube 3. A middle section of the frame 33 is formed with a containing space 35 defined by a convex member 34. An upper section of the frame 33 is provided with a restriction part 36 having an annular groove 37, and a lower end of the frame 33 has a through hole 38. Further, a horizontal supporting unit 39 is mounted on the top of the upper tube 3.
The flexible gripper 4 has a bending section having a gripping space 41 which is shaped depending on the shape of the convex member 34 of the frame 33 of the upper tube 3. The flexible gripper 4 can be made of flexible material and the gripping space 41 has a narrower opening. Therefore, wings 42 on both sides of the gripper 4 can be secured to the convex member 34 by screwing elements 43 when the bending section of the gripper 4 is inserted into the containing space 35 of the upper tube 3.
The push member 5 is shaped depending on the profile of the frame 33 of the upper tube 3 for controlling the height adjustment of the armrest. At the middle section of the push member 5, there is provided with a fastener 51 having a wider outer section and a narrower inner section for being urgently received in the gripping space 41 of the gripper 4. A recess 52 having a protrusion 53 is provided at an upper section of an inner side of the push member 5. Both ends of the elastic element 6 are respectively against the protrusion 53 and the annular groove 37 of the restriction part 36 of the upper tube 3. A protrusion 54 is provided on a lower section of the inner side of the push member 5 for passing through the through hole 38 of the frame 33 of the upper tube 3 and one of the holes 13 of the lower tube 1 at the related position in sequence.
The pad 7 is combined with the horizontal supporting unit 39 of the upper tube 3 for providing support and comfort for resting an arm.
In assembly, please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows that the circular supporting units 2 are respectively mounted on the circular grooves 14 of the lower tube 1. The protrusions 22 of each of the circular supporting units 2 are inserted into the holes 15 of each of the circular grooves 14, as shown in FIG. 3. Further, the upper tube 3 is mounted on the lower tube 1, and the protrusion 32 in the interior space 31 is urgently pushed downwardly into the bar groove 12 of the lower tube 1 for up-and-down movement. The circular supporting units 2 combined with the lower tube 1 have a stable contact with sidewalls of the interior space 31 of the upper tube 3. The bending section of the gripper 4 is inserted into the containing space 35 of the upper tube 3 and both wings 42 of the gripper 4 are positioned on the convex member 34 by screwing elements 43. Further, one end of the elastic element 6 is securely laid on the protrusion 53 of the push member 5. The fastener 51 at the middle section of the push member 5 is urgently inserted into the concave gripping space 41 of the gripper 4 of the upper tube 3. The other end of the elastic element 6 is laid against the annular groove 37 of the upper tube 3. In the meantime, the protrusion 54 at the lower section of the push member 5 passes through the through hole 38 of the upper tube 3 and one of the holes 13 of the lower tube 1 at the related position in sequence. Finally, the pad 7 is stably secured with the horizontal supporting unit 39 of the upper tube 3 by screws 71 so as to finish the high adjustable chair armrest simply and easily.
In operation, please refer to FIG. 4. The upper section (as indicated by an arrow) of the push member 5 is pressed. The fastener 51 at the middle section of the push member 5 then acts as a pivot so that the protrusion 54 at the lower section of the push member 5 departs from the hole 13 of the lower tube 1 due to compression of the elastic element 6. Therefore, a user can adjust the upper tube 3 of the armrest at a desired height. After the desired height is reached, the upper section of the push member 5 is released and returns to the original position by expansion of the elastic element 6. The protrusion 54 at the lower section of the push member 5 will enter into one of the holes 13 of the lower tube 1 at the related position. Therefore, the height and position of the chair armrest is maintained.
An upper end of the vertical bar groove 12 of the lower tube 1 can have a shape as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, to prevent the protrusion 32 out of the limit defined by the bar groove 12 when the upper tube 3 is pulled upwardly as adjustment. Thus, a receiving groove 16 is formed on an upper end of the bar groove 12 of the lower tube 1, to allow a protrusion 32′ in the interior space 31 of the upper tube 3 (in this embodiment, the protrusion 32′ has a cross sectional shape of rectangle) to be smoothly pushed into the bar groove 12 through the receiving groove 16. Then, a block 17 formed as the shape of the receiving groove 16 is received in the receiving groove 16 and fastened by screwing a screw element 18 through holes 171 and 161. As a result, the protrusion 32′ is movable reliably between the bar groove 12.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, these are, of course, merely examples to help clarify the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, and alterations in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A height adjustable chair armrest, comprising a lower tube, an upper tube mounted on the lower tube, and a push member; wherein:

the push member is mounted on one side of the upper tube, pressing of an upper section of the push member will make a first protrusion at a lower section of the push member to depart from one of a plurality of holes of the lower tube by compression of an elastic member so as to adjust the height of the armrest by simple operation, and releasing of the upper section of the push member will make the upper section of the push member to return to the original position by expansion of the elastic element and cause the first protrusion at the lower section of the push member to enter into one of the holes of the lower tube at the related position.

2. The height adjustable chair armrest according to claim 1, wherein a convex member with a containing space is formed on a middle section on one side of the upper tube for receiving a flexible gripper; and said gripper is bent to form a gripping space having a narrower opening for allowing a fastener provided on one side of the push member with a wider outer section and a narrower inner section to be fitted therein so that the push member has a flexible and stable contact with the upper tube.

3. The height adjustable chair armrest according to claim 1, wherein a restriction part having an annular groove is provided on one side of the upper tube corresponding to the push member for holding the elastic element by cooperating with a second protrusion on a recess of said push member so as to provide a stable and elastic operation for the push member.

4. The height adjustable chair armrest according to claim 1, wherein a through hole is provided on one end of the upper tube for allowing the first protrusion of the push member to movably pass therethrough and for being coordinated with the plurality of the holes of the lower tube.

5. The height adjustable chair armrest according to claim 1, wherein the upper tube is provided with a convex member with a containing space for receiving a flexible gripper, a restriction part on an upper end for allowing the elastic element to be stably positioned, a through hole on a lower end for allowing the first protrusion of the push member to movably pass therethrough, and a frame around the convex member, the restriction part and the through hole for allowing the push member to be mounted thereon and to be flexibly pushable.

6. A height adjustable chair armrest, comprising a lower tube, an upper tube mounted on the lower tube, and a push member; wherein:

each of upper and lower ends of the lower tube is formed with a circular groove having two spaced holes for allowing a circular supporting unit having an opening to be mounted thereon; and each end of each circular supporting unit defining the opening has an inward protrusion respectively for being inserted into one of the holes of each circular groove of the lower tube so that the lower tube has an exact contact with the upper tube and a smooth movement of the upper tube is achieved when the height adjustment of the armrest is performed.

7. A height adjustable chair armrest, comprising a lower tube, an upper tube mounted on the lower tube, and a push member; wherein:

a bar groove extends vertically on one side of the lower tube between upper and lower circular grooves for receiving a protrusion protruding from one inner side of the upper tube to provide a smooth guide of movement and a highest and lowest limit of height adjustment when the height adjustment of the armrest is performed.

8. The height adjustable chair armrest according to claim 7, wherein an upper end of the bar groove of the lower tube is formed with a receiving groove to allow a protrusion inside the upper tube to be smoothly pushed into the bar groove through the receiving groove, and a block is then fastened in the receiving groove so that the protrusion is reliably movable between the bar groove.