US20110109145A1

US20110109145A1 - Armrest assembly

Info

Publication number: US20110109145A1
Application number: US12/003,661
Authority: US
Inventors: Li-Wen JEN; Wen-Nan Chang
Original assignee: TECVIEW Co Ltd
Current assignee: TECVIEW Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-12-28
Filing date: 2007-12-28
Publication date: 2011-05-12

Abstract

An armrest assembly applied to connect an armrest with a seat bottom. The armrest includes an armrest member, an armrest support and a fastening plate extending from a bottom end of the armrest support toward the seat. The fastening plate is arranged with a plurality of fastening holes so that the fastening plate is secured on the seat bottom by inserting screws through the fastening holes. The armrest assembly uses a pad with tapered plane being fixed on a fastening plate on a bottom side of an armrest support to adjust the relative position of the fastening plate and a bottom side of the seat. Thus the armrests are arranged vertically on two sides of the chair. Moreover, one armrest of the present invention is applied to connect with a plurality of chair seats so as to increase applications of the armrest.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an armrest assembly, especially to an armrest assembly that uses a pad being fixed on a fastening plate on a bottom side of an armrest support to adjust the relative position of the fastening plate and a bottom side of the seat. Thus the armrests are arranged vertically on two sides of the chair. Moreover, one armrest of the present invention is applied to connect with a plurality of chair seats so as to increase applications of the armrest.
Refer to FIG. 1, a conventional armrest 10 of office chairs 1 includes an armrest member 11, an armrest support 12 and a fastening plate 13 extending from a bottom of the armrest support 12 toward a seat, a plurality of fastening holes 14, fastening members 15 corresponding to the fastening holes 14 such as screws inserting through the fastening holes for securing the fastening plate 13 on a bottom side 17 of a chair 16. Thus the armrest 10 is assembled with the chair 16. After assembling, the armrest 10 is disposed vertically on two sides of the seat, as shown in FIG. 7, not obliquely at a θ angle as shown in FIG. 8. This is a common requirement while assembling the armrest 10 on the chair seat 16. There is not restriction on structure, function or material of the armrest 10. As to the armrest member 11, the armrest support 12 and the fastening plate 13, they can be integrated into a single piece. They can also be separated from one another and are assembled to form a double-piece or multiple-piece armrest. The height of the armrest is either fixed or adjustable. The armrest is made from metal, plastic, or combinations of various materials.
Generally, design of the fastening plate 13 of the armrest 10 depends on the bottom side 17 of the chair seat 16. Thus one kind of armrest is suitable to a corresponding chair seat. Once the armrest 10 is assembled with other kind of chair seat with the bottom side having different slope or arc, the armrest 10 is not perpendicular to the chair seat 16 after being assembled. This leads to inconvenience of production and assembling processes. For example, it takes at least three procedures-design, molding and manufacturing to produce one kind of armrest that matches one style of the chair seat. Once the left armrest is different from the right one, the procedures are more complicated. Although the armrest member 11 and the armrest support 12 may be the same for two kinds of the chair seat and the only difference is in the fastening plate 13, the armrest in a single-piece armrest assembly still needs to be molded separately. This not only causes trouble in quality control of the armrest 10 but also increases manufacturing cost of the armrest 10. Furthermore, when the bottom side of the chair seat corresponding to the fastening plate has different arc or slope, the armrests 10 are still unable to be perpendicular to two sides of the chair seat 16 even change of the arc or the slope is quite small. The armrests 10 inclines at a θ angle, as shown in FIG. 7.
In order to solve above problems, a washer is used to be disposed on the fastening member 15 and clipped between the fastening plate 13 and the bottom side 17 of the chair seat before inserting the fastening member 15 through the fastening holes 14 for locking the fastening plate 13 on the bottom side 17 of the chair seat so as to adjust relative position of the fastening plate 13 and bottom side 17 of the chair seat. Thus the armrest 10 is adjusted to keep vertically on two sides of the chair seat 16. However, such way to add a washer on the fastening member 15 is unfavorable to the assembling because generally there is more than one fastening member 15. Take the embodiment having the fastening plate 13 with four fastening holes 14 in FIG. 1 as an example. In order to make adjustment or correction by disposition of the washer on the fastening member 15, no matter the adjustment is on the inner side, outer side, front side or rear side, at least two fastening holes 14 (as a set) are inserted by two fastening members 15 and then a washer is arranged on the two fastening members 15 respectively. Next the fastening members 15 are in position and fastened on the bottom side 17 of the chair seat. Because the two fastening members 15 are respectively inserted through the fastening holes 14 and the washer is unable to be fixed on the fastening plate 13 in advance, the assembling and fastening of the fastening members 15 and the washers are quite troublesome so that the working efficiency of the assembling is reduced. Therefore, the assembling cost of the armrest assembly is increased and this has negative effect on mass production. Furthermore, addition of the washer between the the fastening plate 13 and the bottom side 17 of the chair seat may spoil the appearance of the chair and further reduce its sense of value.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an armrest assembly that is applied to connect an armrest of an office chair and a seat bottom. An easy-positioning and easy-fixing pad corresponding to each of fastening holes on a fastening plate of an armrest is provided so that while assembling the armrest with different seat bottoms, the relative position of the fastening plate to the seat bottom is adjusted and corrected by positioning and securing the pad on certain position of the fastening plate. Next by fastening members that secures the assembly, the pad is also secured between the fastening plate and the seat bottom so as to make the armrest keep vertically on two sides of the seat after assembling. Thus the applications of the armrest are increased. Moreover, one armrest design is able to be assembled with various seats and is convenient for assembling and fastening. Therefore, assembling efficiency is improved and this is beneficial to mass production.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an armrest assembly that includes a pad being positioned and fixed on the fastening plate before securing the fastening plate on the seat bottom by fastening members such as screws. There is no restriction on assembling way of the pad on the fastening plate, it can be pinned, locked or mounted thereon. Thus there are more choices of the fixing ways between the pad and the fastening plate as well as other related parts. This is beneficial to design and production of the pad.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an armrest assembly with a pad that is a piece with even thickness and with area that is equivalent to half or one-third area of the fastening plate. The pad can also be a tapered piece with the same area as the fastening plate and having a tapered plane that the thickness of one end thereof is larger than the thickness of the other end. Thus there are more choices of the fixing ways between the pad and the fastening plate as well as other related parts. This is beneficial to design and production of the pad.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an armrest secured on a seat of a prior art;

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

FIG. 3 is an explosive view of an armrest and a pad of the embodiment in FIG. 2 according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pad of the embodiment in

FIG. 3 according to the present invention;

FIG. 4A is another view of the pad in FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is an assembling view of the armrest and the pad of the embodiment in FIG. 3 according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing a front view of the armrest secured on the seat and stretched vertically thereon of an embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 6A is a partial enlarged view of a fastening plate of the embodiment in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing a front view of the armrest secured on the seat in a tilted state;

FIG. 7A is a partial enlarged view of a fastening plate of the embodiment in FIG. 7;

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing a front view of the armrest secured on the seat and stretched vertically thereon by adjustment of a pad of an embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 8A is a partial enlarged view of a fastening plate of the embodiment in FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 is an explosive view of an armrest and a pad of another embodiment in FIG. 3 according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an assembling view of the armrest and the pad of another embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 10A is a schematic drawing showing the armrest and the pad separated from each other of the embodiment in FIG. 10 according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Refer from FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, an armrest assembly of the present invention is applied to connect an armrest 20 of an office chair 2 with a bottom 31 of a seat 30. The armrest 20 includes an armrest member 21, an armrest support 22 and a fastening plate 23 extending from a bottom end of the armrest support 22 toward a seat bottom 31 of a seat 30, and a plurality of fastening holes 24 arranged on the fastening plate 23. By fastening members 40 such as screws inserting through the fastening holes 24, the fastening plate 23 is secured on a corresponding surface of the seat bottom 31 so that the armrest 20 is assembled with the seat 30.
The present invention features on that: a pad 50 with certain thickness is provided for the fastening holes 24 on the fastening plate 23. As shown in FIG. 3, the fastening holes 24 are arranged in a square shape, distributed on four corners of the fastening plate 23. A positioning member 60 on the pad 50 is arranged between the pad 50 and the fastening plate 23, as shown in FIG. 3 & FIG. 4. Shape of an insertion hole 51 on the pad 50 corresponds to the fastening holes 24 of the fastening plate 23. Thus fastening member 40 such as screw can insert from the bottom to the top through the fastening hole 24, the insertion hole 51 of the pad 50 so as to secure the fastening plate 23 on the surface corresponding to the seat bottom 31. As shown in FIG. 6 & FIG. 6A, the pad 50 is fastened on the corresponding surface 32 of the seat bottom 31.
Moreover, the positioning member 60 between the pad 50 and the fastening plate 23 is used to make the pad 50 easily and correctly position and fix on the fastening plate 23 before being fastened by the fastening member 40, as shown in FIG. 3 & FIG. 5. There is no restriction on assembling way of the positioning member 60, it can be pinned, locked or mounted. Each way that fixes the pad on the fastening plate by easy operation is feasible. For example, at least one pin 52 is arranged on the pad 50 while at least one pin hole 25 corresponding to the pin 52 is disposed on the fastening plate 23 so as to form the positioning member 60. Refer to FIG. 3 & FIG. 5, the pad 50 faces towards a proper position such as the inner surface of the seat 30, then by the positioning member 60 such as the pint 52 and the pin hole 25, the pad 50 is easily positioned correctly and fixed firmly on somewhere of the fastening plate 23. Thus the pad 50 will not separate from or falling off the fastening plate 23.
Refer to FIG. 6 & FIG. 6A, when a armrest 20 is assembled with a corresponding seat 30, once the surface 32 of the seat bottom 31 is fitted with the fastening plate 23 of the armrest 20 properly, the armrest 20 can keep vertically from the user's view on two sides of the seat 30 after being assembled. Thus there is no need to use the pad 50.
Refer to FIG. 7 & FIG. 7A, when an armrest 20 is assembled with other seats 30 a with various designs, the armrest 20 is unable to be vertically on two sides of the seat 30 a after being assembled. The seats 30 a with various designs mean that the arc or the slope of the surface 32 a on the seat bottom 31 a corresponding to the fastening plate 23 has changed so that the surface 32 a is different from the surface 32 of the seat 30. Generally, change of the arc or the slope is not so large. The difference is in that the armrest 20 will has an incline of some degrees on two sides of the seat 30. Take the embodiment in FIG. 7 as an example, the armrest 20 inclines outwards at θ angle and such state is considered as not satisfying basic requirement of armrest assembling.
Refer to FIG. 8 & FIG. 8A, in order to correct inclined sate of the armrest 20 in FIG. 7 & FIG. 7A, use a pad 5.0 with corresponding design, as shown in FIG. 4 & FIG. 4A, position the pad 50 correctly on a certain position of the fastening plate 23 by the positioning member 60 having the pin 52 and the pin hole 25 in FIG. 3 & FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the pad 50 is respectively positioned on two sides of the seat 30 so as to correct and adjust the relative position of the fastening plate 23 to the surface 32 a of the seat bottom 31 a. Thus after assembling, the armrest 20 meets basic requirement of stretching vertically on two sides of the seat 30 a. Then use fastening members 40 to secure the pad 50 between the fastening plate 23 and the surface 32 a of the seat bottom 31 a. By corresponding design of the pad 50 to the fastening plate 23, one armrest 20 design can be assembled with various designs of seats 30 a. Unlike conventional armrest that can be assembled with only one kind of seat, the applications of the armrest assembly according to the present invention are increased. The manufacturing cost of the armrest 20 is also reduced. Before fastening the armrest 20, the pad 50 can be positioned and set on the corresponding fastening plate 23 without separation or falling off. This is convenient for fastening processes of the armrest 20 during assembling processes. The assembling efficiency is improved and mass production is getting easier.
The pad 50 is designed corresponding to shapes of the fastening plate 23. As to the structure or positions of the pad 50 on the fastening plate 23, there is no limit. For example, the pad 50 can be a piece with even thickness and with area that is equivalent to half (not shown in figure) or one-third area of the fastening plate 23 as shown from FIG. 3 to FIG. 5. Moreover, two ends of the pad 50 are respectively arranged with an insertion hole 51 that corresponds to the fastening holes 24 on the fastening plate 23 so that the pad 50 is arranged on a certain position of the fastening plate 23 such as one side of the seat 30, as shown in FIG. 3 & FIG. 5 or another side of the seat 30, near read side of the seat 30, as shown in FIG. 9 for adjusting and correcting a tilted state of the fastening plate 23 on the surface 32 a of the seat bottom 31 a.
Refer to FIG. 10 & FIG. 10A, the pad 50 is a tapered piece with the same area as the fastening plate 23 and having a tapered plane that the thickness of one end 53 thereof is larger than the thickness of the other end 54. Each of four corners of the pad 50 a has an insertion hole 51 a, respectively corresponding to the fastening hole 24 on the fastening plate 23. The pad 50 is also disposed with pins 52 a corresponding to pin holes 25 a on the fastening plate 23. While being assembled, according to tilted state of the armrest 20, put the thicker side 50 of the pad 50 on one side of the fastening plate 23 that is opposite to the titled direction of the armrest 20 so as to adjust and correct the tilted armrest 20. Thus the armrest 20 looks vertically stretched from each side of the seat 30. Thus there are more choices of the fixing ways between the pad 50/50 a and the fastening plate 23 as well as other components such as positioning members 60. This is beneficial to design and production of the pad.
In summary, when an armrest 20 is assembled with different seats 30/30 a or seat bottom 31/31 a, the pad 50 of the present invention is positioned and secured on a place of the fastening plate 23 so as to adjust and correct the tilted state between the fastening plate 23 and the surface 32/32 a of the seat bottom 31/31 a. Then by means of the fastening members 40, the pad 50 is secured between the fastening plate 23 and the surface 32/32 a of the seat bottom 31/31 a so that the assembled armrest 20 is vertically on two sides of the seat 30/30 a from user's view. Compared with conventional technique, the present invention has a wider range of applications, one armrest is not only to be applied to one seat. Moreover, the pad 50/50 a is positioned and fixed firmly on the fastening plate 23 before securing the armrest 20 so that assembling and securing operation is more easy and convenient. Therefore, the assembling efficiency is improved and this is beneficial to mass-production.
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 assembly applied to connect an armrest of office chairs with a seat bottom of a seat comprising an armrest having an armrest member, an armrest support and a fastening plate extending from a bottom end of the armrest support toward the seat bottom;

the fastening plate is disposed with a plurality of fastening holes so that the fastening plate is secured on the seat bottom by inserting fastening members through the fastening holes and the armrest is assembled with the seat; the armrest assembly is characterized in that: a pad with certain thickness is disposed on the fastening plate and the pad having an insertion hole corresponding to the fastening hole on the fastening plate so that the fastening member inserts thorough the fastening hole, the insertion hole of the pad so as to secure the fastening plate on a corresponding surface of the seat bottom and the pad is fixed between the fastening plate and the corresponding surface of the seat bottom; a positioning member is arranged between the pad and the fastening plate for positioning and fixing the pad correctly and firmly on the fastening plate before being fastened by the fastening member; while assembling the fastening plate of the armrest with the seat bottom of the seat, once the armrest is in tilted state, the pad is positioned and fixed on the fastening plate by the positioning member so as to correct and adjust the titled state between the fastening plate and the corresponding surface of the seat bottom; then the pad is secured between the fastening plate and the corresponding surface of the seat bottom by the fastening member so that the assembled armrest looks vertically on two sides of the seat.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening holes are four fastening holes arranged in a square shape, distributed on four corners of the fastening plate.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein assembling ways of the positioning member comprising being pinned, locked or mounted.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning member comprising at least one pin arranged on the pad and at least one pin hole corresponding to the pin and disposed on the fastening plate so as to secure the pad on the fastening plate.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pad is a piece with even thickness and with area that is equivalent to half or one-third area of the fastening plate.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein two ends of the pad are respectively arranged with an insertion hole that corresponds to the fastening hole on the fastening plate.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pad is a tapered piece with the same area as the fastening plate and having a tapered plane that the thickness of one end thereof is larger than the thickness of the other end.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein four corners of the pad are respectively disposed with an insertion hole that corresponds to the fastening hole on the fastening plate.