US4951995A — Arm height adjustment mechanism for a chair

Claim 1

Independent Claim 86 words

An armrest height adjustment assembly for a chair having a pair of laterally spaced, fixed armrest supports, said assembly comprising: a first armrest slidably mounted on one of said supports for vertical movement; a second armrest slidably mounted on the other of said supports for vertical movement; and vertical motion translation means interconnecting said armrests for translating raising or lowering movement of said first armrest to said second armrest so that vertical movement of said first armrest causes synchronized, simultaneous vertical movement of said second armrest.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 86 words

An armrest height adjustment assembly for a chair having a pair of laterally spaced, fixed armrest supports, said assembly comprising: a first armrest slidably mounted on one of said supports for vertical movement; a second armrest slidably mounted on the other of said supports for vertical movement; and vertical motion translation means interconnecting said armrests for translating raising or lowering movement of said first armrest to said second armrest so that vertical movement of said first armrest causes synchronized, simultaneous vertical movement of said second armrest.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

An assembly as defined by claim 1 further including lock means for releasably locking said armrests in position with respect to said armrest supports.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 114 words

An assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said vertical motion translating means comprises: an elongated cable assembly including a jacket having an end fixed to said one of said supports and a cable end fixed to said first armrest, said cable assembly jacket including a second end fixed to said other of said supports and another cable end that is free and that moves downwardly upon upward movement of said first armrest and said a cable end; an elongated member having an end fixed to said second armrest; and means interconnecting said another cable end and said elongated member for moving said elongated member upwardly upon downward movement of said another cable end.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

An assembly as defined by claim 3 wherein said cable includes a spiral flight and said elongated member includes a spiral flight.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 60 words

An assembly as defined by claim 4 wherein said means interconnecting said another cable end and said elongated member comprises a gear rotatably mounted on said other of said supports, said gear meshing with said cable flights of said cable and said elongated member to translate downward movement of said another cable end to upward movement of said elongated member.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

An assembly as defined by claim 5 further including lock means for releasably locking said armrests in position with respect to said armrest supports.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 41 words

An assembly as defined by claim 6 wherein said lock means comprises: a lock defining teeth engageable with said gear to prevent rotation thereof; and an actuator connected to said lock for moving said lock out of engagement with said gear.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 130 words

A vertical arm height adjustment mechanism for a chair which has a pair of laterally spaced armrest supports, said mechanism comprising: a first armrest assembly mounted for vertical movement on one of said supports; a second armrest assembly mounted for vertical movement on the other of said supports; a first elongated member having an end fixed to said first armrest assembly for up and down movement therewith; a second elongated member secured to said second armrest for moving said second armrest assembly up and down; motion translating means interconnecting said first elongated member and said second elongated member for moving said second member in an upward direction upon upward movement of said first armrest whereby vertical movement of said first armrest translates to synchronized vertical movement of said second armrest.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 130 words

A vertical arm height adjustment mechanism for a chair which has a pair of laterally spaced armrest supports, said mechanism comprising: a first armrest assembly mounted for vertical movement on one of said supports; a second armrest assembly mounted for vertical movement on the other of said supports; a first elongated member having an end fixed to said first armrest assembly for up and down movement therewith; a second elongated member secured to said second armrest for moving said second armrest assembly up and down; motion translating means interconnecting said first elongated member and said second elongated member for moving said second member in an upward direction upon upward movement of said first armrest whereby vertical movement of said first armrest translates to synchronized vertical movement of said second armrest.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

A mechanism as defined by claim 8 wherein said armrest supports are joined to defined a generally U-shaped, tubular support.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 25 words

A mechanism as defined by claim 8 wherein each of said armrest assemblies includes a tube telescoping with a respective one of said armrest supports.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 71 words

A mechanism as defined by claim 8 wherein said first elongated member comprises a cable assembly having a jacket with an end fixed to said one of said supports and another end fixed to said other of said supports, said cable assembly further including an elongated flexible cable having a cable end fixed to said first armrest assembly and an opposite cable end extending upwardly within said other of said supports.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

A mechanism as defined in claim 11 wherein said flexible cable opposite cable end defines a rack portion and said elongated member defines another rack portion.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 31 words

A mechanism as defined in claim 12 wherein said motion translating means comprises a gear mounted on said other of said supports, said gear including teeth meshing with said rack portions.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

A mechanism as defined by claim 13 when each of said armrest assemblies includes a tube telescoping with a respective one of said armrest supports.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 28 words

A mechanism as defined by claim 8 further including lock means engaging said motion translating means for locking said armrest assemblies is position and preventing vertical movement thereof.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 21 words

A mechanism as defined by claim 14 further including lock means operatively connected to said armrest assemblies for preventing movement thereof.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 38 words

A mechanism as defined by claim 16 wherein said lock means comprising: a locking pawl engageable with said gear, and an actuator connected to said pawl for moving said pawl into and out of engagement with said gear.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 96 words

A chair of the type including a base, a seat mounted on the base and a back, said chair further comprising: a generally U-shaped tubular armrest support including a pair of open ended support uprights joined to an elongated base, said base extending under said seat; a pair of armrest assemblies, each assembly having a tubular portion telescoped on one of said support uprights; vertical motion translating means within said armrest support and operatively interconnecting said armrest assemblies for translating vertical movement of one of said assemblies to vertical movement of the other of said assemblies.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 96 words

A chair of the type including a base, a seat mounted on the base and a back, said chair further comprising: a generally U-shaped tubular armrest support including a pair of open ended support uprights joined to an elongated base, said base extending under said seat; a pair of armrest assemblies, each assembly having a tubular portion telescoped on one of said support uprights; vertical motion translating means within said armrest support and operatively interconnecting said armrest assemblies for translating vertical movement of one of said assemblies to vertical movement of the other of said assemblies.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 128 words

A chair as defined by claim 18 wherein said vertical motion translating means comprises: a first plug disposed within one of said uprights; a second plug disposed within the other of said uprights; a cable assembly having a jacket abutting said plugs and an elongated cable having a first end extending through said second plug and joined to one of said armrest assemblies, said cable including a second free end extending through said first plug; another cable having an end fixed to said other of said armrest assemblies and extending through said first plug; and means interconnecting said second free end of said cable of said cable assembly and said another cable so that movement of said free end is translated to opposite movement of said another cable.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 38 words

A chair as defined by claim 19 wherein said interconnecting means comprising said free end and said another cable each defining a rack-like portion and a gear mounted on said first plug and meshing with said rack-like portions.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 23 words

A chair as defined by claim 18 further including lock means operatively connected to said armrest assemblies for locking them in fixed positions.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 18 words

A chair as defined by claim 20 further including: lock means engaging said gear for preventing rotation thereof.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 38 words

A chair as defined by claim 22 wherein said lock means comprises: a pawl slidably mounted on said first plug; a spring biasing said pawl into engagement with said gear; and a cable actuator connected to said pawl.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-08-27	1994-02-26	1994-08-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-08-27	1998-02-26	1998-08-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-08-27	2002-02-26	2002-08-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Arm height adjustment mechanism for a chair

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag