CN118512087A - Armrest structure for chair and chair with same - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided an armrest structure for a chair, the armrest structure comprising: a base member, an attachment portion attachable to a support structure of the chair, a clutch mechanism, and an actuation mechanism.

Description

Armrest structure for chair and chair with same

Technical Field

Embodiments herein relate to armrest structures for chairs. Embodiments herein also relate to chairs that include one or more armrest structures.

Background

Many chairs, particularly office chairs, are adjustable to some extent to accommodate users of different sizes and users having different seating preferences. For example, the inclination of the seat and/or back, lumbar support and cervical support may be adjusted. In the case of office chairs equipped with armrests, the armrests may be foldable or adjustable.

The user typically must release the lever to adjust the armrest position. An example is illustrated in US6053578 a. While such schemes may work well in certain applications, they are associated with certain drawbacks or deficiencies. Releasing the push button of the lever requires additional time before the position of the armrest can be actually shifted. When there are multiple adjustment possibilities on the chair, some trial and error may be required before the user knows which lever or button is associated with the release of a particular part of the chair before the adjustment can be initiated. This is time consuming and may result in unintended adjustment and readjustment of other parts of the chair prior to releasing and adjusting the armrests. In modern and flexible workplaces, a particular chair may be used by several different people during a day or week. Cumbersome adjustments may be required very frequently and may also be unhygienic when many users have to touch the same release lever and/or button to make the adjustment.

In US5746480a, an armrest assembly for a chair is shown. The armrest assembly is responsive to a downward force on the armrest from the user's arm to limit movement of the armrest. Pressure (i.e., weight of the arm or gravity) locks the armrest in a given position. Thus, no release button is required.

Although the armrest assembly of US5746480a may be useful in some circumstances, there remains a need for an armrest structure that is simple, easy to use, and/or ergonomic.

Thus, improvements in armrest structures and chairs having armrest(s) remain desirable.

Disclosure of Invention

According to an embodiment, there is provided a armrest structure for a chair, the armrest structure comprising:

-a base member:

an attachment portion attachable to a support structure of the chair, wherein the attachment portion is displaceable relative to the base member in at least a first direction, and wherein the attachment portion comprises a first portion protrusion,

A clutch mechanism comprising a second part-protrusion, wherein the second part-protrusion is arranged to engage with the first part-protrusion, wherein the clutch mechanism further comprises a third part-protrusion,

-An actuation mechanism comprising a fourth part-projection, wherein the fourth part-projection is arranged to engage with the third part-projection.

According to some embodiments, the actuation mechanism is adapted to be displaced in the first direction to rotate the clutch mechanism and disengage the second part-protrusion from the first part-protrusion, such that the base member is movable relative to the attachment part in at least the first direction and/or in a direction opposite to the first direction.

According to some embodiments, the clutch mechanism is rotatable about an axis, the axis being perpendicular to the first direction, and the third partial protrusion comprises a gear protrusion in a radial direction about the axis.

According to some embodiments, the clutch mechanism comprises a clutch head protruding in a direction along the axis towards the attachment portion, the clutch head comprising the second partial protrusion comprising at least two protrusions protruding in a direction along the axis towards the attachment portion and offset from the axis, and wherein the at least two protrusions define an open space in the clutch head.

According to some embodiments, the clutch head comprises at least: a first position, wherein the second partial protrusion is positioned adjacent to at least one of the first partial protrusions, and a second position, wherein the clutch head is rotated relative to the first position such that the open space in the clutch head is positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the first partial protrusion, and wherein the first position of the clutch head corresponds to a locked state of the armrest structure, and wherein the second position of the clutch head corresponds to an unlocked state of the armrest structure.

According to some embodiments, the first partial protrusion comprises a rack portion comprising at least two protrusions at a side of the rack portion facing the clutch head.

According to some embodiments, the clutch head comprises at least two protrusions protruding in a direction along the axis towards the attachment portion and mirrored on both sides of the axis.

According to some embodiments, the second part projection of the clutch mechanism is adapted to: the second partial projections are in a locked state when at least partially between the first partial projections and are rotated relative to the locked state such that the second partial projections are not between the first partial projections.

According to some embodiments, the arm pad structure or the armrest structure comprises a pretensioning mechanism adapted to pretension the actuation mechanism to an initial state.

According to some embodiments, the actuation mechanism comprises a pressing portion on one side of the actuation mechanism and the fourth partial protrusion comprising a rack portion at an underside of the fourth partial protrusion.

According to some embodiments, the pretensioning mechanism comprises a spring element attached at a first end to the base member or a part of the base member and at a second end to the activation mechanism or a part of the activation mechanism.

According to some embodiments, the attachment portion and the base member comprise a direction guide, wherein the direction guide comprises:

A sliding groove aligned in the first direction of the attachment portion, an

A sliding tab aligned in the first direction of the base assembly, the sliding tab slidably engaged with the sliding groove,

Or, the direction guide includes:

a sliding groove aligned in the first direction of the base member, an

A sliding longitudinal projection aligned in the first direction of the attachment portion, the sliding longitudinal projection slidably engaged with the sliding groove.

Drawings

Various aspects of the embodiments herein, including the specific features and advantages of the embodiments, will be readily appreciated from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 illustrates a front view of a chair including movable armrests.

Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the movable armrest.

Fig. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly of armrest structures.

Fig. 4 illustrates a portion of the armrest structure.

Fig. 5 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly of handrail structures with cross-sectional highlights.

Fig. 6 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly of handrail structures with cross-sectional highlights.

Fig. 7 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly of handrail structures with cross-sectional highlights. .

Detailed Description

Embodiments herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments are shown. However, the application should not be considered as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. As will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the application pertains, the disclosed features of the exemplary embodiments may be combined. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.

Fig. 1 illustrates a chair 100, the chair 100 comprising two armrest structures 0, 0', which may alternatively be referred to as armrest assemblies, armrests, and the like. The armrest structure 0, 0' is movable at least in a direction F1, which direction F1 is defined as two lateral directions with respect to the chair 100 in normal use.

Fig. 2 illustrates an armrest structure 0, which armrest structure 0 is movable to a support structure 7 of a chair 100 (only the side support structures of the chair are shown), the armrest structure 0 comprising a pressing portion 52, which pressing portion 52 is arranged to be operable by a user. The chair may be any type of chair, such as an office chair, a car seat, and the like. The chair may comprise legs, a frame, a seat, a back support and possibly a neck support. The armrest structure 0 may be attached to a support structure 7, which support structure 7 may be attached to the frame of a chair, for example, or to a seat or back support. The support structure may be permanently attached or removable. For example, the attachment may be made with screws, bolts, press fits, glue or any other suitable attachment means. The armrest structure 0 may be attached to the support structure 7 by any suitable attachment means, such as screws, bolts, glue, etc.

The armrest structure 0 includes: a base member 1 (as shown in fig. 2) and a top member 10, said base member 1 providing structural support, said top member 10 being adapted to provide a resting surface or support surface for a user. The base member 1 and the top member 10 are operatively connected to each other, i.e. positioned relative to each other by means of form locking, snap-fitting, etc.

Fig. 3 illustrates a portion of the armrest structure 0, wherein the base member 1 comprises an attachment portion 3, which attachment portion 3 is attachable to a support structure 7 of a chair, wherein the attachment portion 3 is displaceable in at least a first direction F1 with respect to the base member 1. The attachment portion 3 may be attachable to the support structure 7 via the fastening means 8 such that the attachment portion 3 is stationary relative to the support structure 7, and wherein the base member 1 is movable at least in the direction F1. Thus, the base member 1 may comprise a hole 12 or opening extending in at least the first direction F1 (in another embodiment also in the second direction F1), such that the fastening means 8 for the attachment portion 3 passes through the opening in the base member 1.

In an embodiment, the attachment portion 3 and the base member 1 may comprise a direction guiding means, wherein the direction guiding means comprises: a sliding groove 91, said sliding groove 91 being aligned in the first direction F1 of the attachment portion 3, and a sliding protrusion 92, said sliding protrusion 92 being aligned in the first direction F1 of the base assembly 1, said sliding protrusion 92 being slidably engaged with the sliding groove, or alternatively, the direction guiding means comprising: a sliding groove aligned in the first direction F1 of the base member 1, and a sliding longitudinal protrusion aligned in the first direction F1 of the attachment portion 3, the sliding longitudinal protrusion being slidably engaged with the sliding groove.

As further illustrated in fig. 3, the attachment portion 3 comprises a first part protrusion 31, and wherein the armrest structure 0 further comprises a clutch mechanism 4, said clutch mechanism 4 comprising a second part protrusion 41, wherein the second part protrusion 41 is arranged to engage with the first part protrusion 31 of the attachment portion 3, and wherein the clutch mechanism 4 further comprises a third part protrusion 42. The armrest structure 0 further comprises an actuation mechanism 5, said actuation mechanism 5 comprising a fourth part-protrusion 51, wherein the fourth part-protrusion 51 is arranged to engage with the third part-protrusion 42 of the clutch mechanism 4.

In an embodiment, the actuation mechanism 5 is adapted to be displaced in the first direction F1 (preferably by a user in the first direction F1) to rotate the clutch mechanism 4 and disengage the second part-protrusion 41 from the first part-protrusion 31, such that the base member 1 is movable relative to the attachment part 3 at least in the first direction F1 and/or in an opposite direction of the first direction F1. The actuating mechanism 5 may be movable in the first direction F1 relative to the base member 1 such that the fourth partial protrusion 51 interacts with the third partial protrusion 42 of the clutch mechanism 4 to transfer movement of the actuating mechanism 5 to the clutch mechanism 4.

In one embodiment, the clutch mechanism 4 is rotatable about an axis X-X perpendicular to the first direction F1, and the third partial protrusion 42 comprises a gear protrusion along a radial direction (radiant direction) about the axis X-X. In the embodiment shown in fig. 4, the clutch mechanism 4 comprises a gear wheel, which in the figure comprises a length in the second direction F2.

As shown in fig. 4, the clutch mechanism 4 in an embodiment may comprise a clutch head 43, which clutch head 43 protrudes in a direction along the axis X-X towards the attachment portion 3, the clutch head 43 comprising the second partial protrusion 41 comprising at least two protrusions protruding in a direction along the axis X-X towards the attachment portion 3 and being offset from the axis X-X, and wherein the at least two protrusions define an open space in the clutch head 43. In the illustrated embodiment, the clutch head 43 comprises at least two protrusions protruding in a direction along the axis X-X towards the attachment portion 3 and mirrored on both sides of the axis X-X.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment wherein the armrest structure 0 comprises a portion of the base member 1, as seen from above and in a cross-sectional view taken along planes A-A and B-B, and wherein the armrest structure is in a locked state L. In the cross-sectional view of section A-A, the fourth partial projections 51 are shown as racks of projections on the underside of the actuating mechanism 5, wherein at least some of the fourth partial projections 51 coincide with the radial second partial projections 41 of the clutch mechanism 4. When the pressing portion 52 of the activation mechanism 5 is not activated, the activation mechanism 5 is in the pretensioned position (pensioned position), and the fourth part projection 51 of the activation mechanism 5 interacts with the second part projection 41 and holds the second part projection 41, so that the clutch mechanism 4 is in the initial first position.

In the cross-sectional view of section B-B of fig. 5, the two second partial projections 41 of the clutch head 43 are seen in the first position, such that the two second partial projections 41 of the clutch head 43 are located between at least a portion of the first partial projections 31. In this position, the portion of the clutch head 43 is located between at least two of the first partial protrusions 31 and the base member 1 is not movable relative to the attachment portion 3 and the armrest structure 0 is in the locked state L of the armrest structure.

Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which the portion of the armrest structure 0 comprising the base member 1 is viewed from above and in a cross-sectional view taken along planes A-A and B-B. In the cross-sectional view of section A-A, the fourth partial projections 51 are shown as racks of projections on the underside of the actuating mechanism 5, wherein at least some of the fourth partial projections 51 coincide with the radial second partial projections 41 of the clutch mechanism 4. When the user presses or pushes the pressing portion 52 of the actuating mechanism 5, the actuating mechanism 5 is laterally translated a distance, thereby converting the lateral translation of the actuating mechanism 5 into a rotational movement of the clutch mechanism 4 via the fourth part-protrusion 51 and the second part-protrusion 41, as indicated by the rotational arrow.

In the cross-sectional view of section B-B, the two second partial projections 41 of the clutch head 43 are seen in the second position, whereby the clutch head 43 is rotated relative to the first position, whereby the open space in the clutch head 43 is positioned adjacent to at least a part of the first partial projections 31, wherein the second state of the clutch head 43 corresponds to the unlocked state U of the armrest structure 0. In the second state, the clutch head 43 is not located between the first part protrusions 31, and the base member 1 is movable relative to the attachment part 3. When the user actuates the pressing portion 52, the armrest structure is placed in the second position.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, an embodiment is illustrated in which the first partial projection 31 comprises a rack portion comprising at least two projections arranged adjacent to each other at a side of the rack portion facing the clutch head 43. The first portion of the projections 31 may comprise a row of any number of projections.

In an embodiment, wherein the second part-protrusions 41 of the clutch mechanism 4 are adapted to be in the locked state L when the second part-protrusions 41 are at least partially located between any of the first part-protrusions 31, and to be in the unlocked state U when the second part-protrusions 41 are rotated relative to the locked state L such that the second part-protrusions 41 are not located between the first part-protrusions 31.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, the armrest structure 0 may comprise a pretensioning mechanism 6, which pretensioning mechanism 6 is adapted to pretension the actuation mechanism 5 in an initial first position, which corresponds to the first position and the locked state L. The pretensioning mechanism 6 may comprise a spring element attached at a first end to the base member 1 or part of the base member 1 and at a second end to the activation mechanism 5 or part of the activation mechanism 5 to pretension the activation mechanism 5 into the following position: wherein the clutch head 43 stops the relative movement between the attachment portion 3 and the base member 1.

In an embodiment, the actuating mechanism 5 comprises a pressing portion 52 at one side of the actuating mechanism 5 and a fourth part protrusion 51, said fourth part protrusion 51 comprising a rack portion at the lower side of the fourth part protrusion 51. The pressing portion 52 may be accessible through an opening or cutout of the base member 1 and adapted to be actuated by a user to change the state from the locked state L to the unlocked state U. The attachment portion 3, the clutch mechanism 4 and the activation mechanism 5 are adapted to transfer the movement of the activation mechanism 5 from an initial locked state L to an activated unlocked state U. This may be achieved by having the activation mechanism 5 guide the rotation of the clutch mechanism 4 and disengage the second part projection 41 from the first part projection 31, so that the base member 1 may be moved in at least the first direction F1 relative to the attachment part 3.

In another embodiment, the activation mechanism 5 comprises a fifth part-protrusion 53, wherein the base member comprises a sixth part-protrusion 11. The sixth partial projections 11 are arranged in a row or the like along the second direction F2, and the fifth partial projections 53 are arranged to engage with the sixth partial projections 11. In the first initial position, the actuating mechanism 5 may be in a pretensioned state, wherein the sixth part projection 11 and the fifth part projection 53 are braked (angered) to prevent any movement between the base member 1 and the attachment part 3 in the second direction F2. The second direction F2 is perpendicular to the first direction F1. When the actuation mechanism 5 is actuated, the actuation mechanism 5 translates away from the sixth partial protrusion 11 and the fifth partial protrusion 53 is no longer engaged with the sixth partial protrusion 11. Since the clutch mechanism 4 includes a gear (in the drawing, the gear includes a length in the second direction F2), the fourth partial protrusion 51 can move in the second direction F2 with respect to the third partial protrusion 42. Thus, in the described embodiment, the base member 1 and thus the top member 10 may be locked in both the first direction F1 and the second direction F2 in the locked state L and movable in both the first direction F1 and the second direction F2 in the unlocked state U.

Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment wherein the base member 1 comprises a sliding plate 2, said sliding plate 2 being adapted to move in the second direction F2 within the base member 1. In this embodiment, the sliding plate 2 comprises a sliding protrusion 92, which sliding protrusion 92 is adapted to receive the sliding groove 91 of the attachment portion 3 and to hold the clutch mechanism 4 in a rotating manner. This may be achieved with two snap supports or the like at or near both ends of the clutch mechanism 4. In the drawings, the base member 1 is illustrated without mounting any associated components, wherein the aperture 12 is illustrated. Further, the slide plate 2 is illustrated separately. As can be seen from the figures, in one embodiment the slide plate 2 comprises a sixth part-projection 11, said sixth part-projection 11 being adapted to interact with a fifth part-projection 53 of the activation mechanism 5. The slide plate 2 may be movably supported in the base member 1 via a first set of guiding means 13, 13' (such as snap arms or the like). The activation mechanism 5 may be movably supported in the base member 1 via a second set of guiding means 14, 14' (such as snap arms or the like).

0 Handrail structure

100 Chair

1 Base member

2 Sliding plate

3 Attachment portion

31 First part of the protrusion

4 Clutch mechanism

41. Second part protruding part

42. Third part protruding part

43. Clutch head

5 Starting mechanism

51. Fourth part protruding part

52. Pressing part

53. Fifth part protruding part

6 Pretensioning mechanism

7 Supporting structure

8 Fastening device

91. Sliding groove

92. Sliding projection

10. Top member

11. Sixth part of the protrusion

12. Hole(s)

13. First guiding device

14. And a second guiding device.

Claims (12)

1. An armrest structure (0) for a chair (100), the armrest structure (0) comprising:

A base member (1),

-An attachment portion (3), the attachment portion (3) being attachable to a support structure (7) of the chair, wherein the attachment portion (3) is displaceable in at least a first direction (F1) relative to the base member (1), and wherein the attachment portion comprises a first portion protrusion (31),

-A clutch mechanism (4), the clutch mechanism (4) comprising a second part-protrusion (41), wherein the second part-protrusion (41) is arranged to engage with the first part-protrusion (31), wherein the clutch mechanism (4) further comprises a third part-protrusion (42),

-An activation mechanism (5), the activation mechanism (5) comprising a fourth part-protrusion (51), wherein the fourth part-protrusion (51) is arranged to engage with the third part-protrusion (42).

2. Handrail structure (0) according to claim 1, wherein the actuation mechanism (5) is adapted to be displaced in the first direction (F1) to rotate the clutch mechanism (4) and disengage the second part-protrusion (41) from the first part-protrusion (31) such that the base member (1) is movable relative to the attachment part (3) in at least the first direction (F1) and/or in an opposite direction to the first direction (F1).

3. Handrail structure (0) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clutch mechanism (4) is rotatable about an axis (X-X) perpendicular to the first direction (F1), and the third partial protrusion (42) comprises a gear protrusion in a radial direction about the axis (X-X).

4. A handrail structure (0) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the clutch mechanism (4) comprises a clutch head (43), the clutch head (43) protruding in a direction along the axis (X-X) towards the attachment portion (3), the clutch head (43) comprising the second partial protrusion (41) comprising at least two protrusions protruding in a direction along the axis (X-X) towards the attachment portion (3) and being offset from the axis (X-X), and wherein the at least two protrusions define an open space in the clutch head (43).

5. Handrail construction (0) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the clutch head (43) comprises at least:

A first position in which the second partial projections (41) are positioned adjacent to at least one of the first partial projections (31), and

A second position in which the clutch head (43) is rotated relative to the first position such that the open space in the clutch head (43) is positioned adjacent at least a portion of the first partial protrusion (31), and

Wherein the first position of the clutch head (43) corresponds to a locked state (L) of the armrest structure (0), and wherein the second position of the clutch head (43) corresponds to an unlocked state (U) of the armrest structure (0).

6. Handrail construction (0) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first partial projection (31) comprises a rack portion comprising at least two projections at a side of the rack portion facing the clutch head (43).

7. Handrail structure (0) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clutch head (43) comprises at least two protrusions protruding in a direction along the axis (X-X) towards the attachment portion (3) and mirrored on both sides of the axis (X-X).

8. Handrail construction (0) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second partial projection (41) of the clutch mechanism (4) is adapted to:

Is in a locked state (L) when the second part-protrusion (41) is at least partially located between the first part-protrusions (31), and

An unlocked state is obtained when the second part-protrusions (41) are rotated relative to the locked state (L) such that the second part-protrusions (41) are not located between the first part-protrusions (31).

9. Handrail construction (0) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a pretensioning mechanism (6), the pretensioning mechanism (6) being adapted to pretension the activation mechanism (5) into an initial state.

10. Handrail structure (0) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuation mechanism (5) comprises a pressing portion (52) and the fourth partial protrusion (51), the pressing portion (52) being located on one side of the actuation mechanism (5), the fourth partial protrusion (51) comprising a rack portion at the underside of the fourth partial protrusion (51).

11. Armrest structure (0) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said pretensioning mechanism (6) comprises a spring element attached at a first end to said base member (1) or to a portion of said base member (1) and at a second end to said actuation mechanism (5) or to a portion of said actuation mechanism (5).

12. The armrest structure (0) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said attachment portion (3) and said base member (1) comprise a directional guide,

Wherein the direction guide comprises:

A sliding groove (91), the sliding groove (91) being aligned in the first direction (F1) of the attachment portion (3), and

A sliding projection (92), the sliding projection (92) being aligned in the first direction (F1) of the base assembly (1), the sliding projection (92) being slidably engaged with the sliding groove,

Or, the direction guide includes:

a sliding groove aligned in the first direction (F1) of the base member (1), and

-A sliding longitudinal protrusion aligned in the first direction (F1) of the attachment portion (3), the sliding longitudinal protrusion being slidably engaged with the sliding groove.