Detachable support arm

• US 20030227208A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Formway Furniture Limited
• Original Assignee: Formway Furniture Limited
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Paul Michael, Burwell, Damon Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,100,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/411.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03 the parts being arm-rests conversion into a bed A47C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/546 of detachable type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/70 of foldable type

Abstract

A support arm for supporting an item from a tapered member such as a tapered chair arm includes an arm portion having a proximal end and a distal end. At or toward the distal end is an arrangement for mounting an item. At or toward the proximal end is an attachment portion defining an internal taper. The support arm is engageable on the tapered member in a taper lock between the tapered member and the attachment portion and disengageable manually and without the use of tools, to mount the support arm to the tapered member. The item is preferably a tablet. One or more release shuttles may be provided within the attachment portion to enhance the disengagement of the support arm from the tapered member.

Claims

1. A support arm for supporting an item from a tapered member such as a tapered chair arm, the support arm comprising:

an arm portion having a proximal end and a distal end;

at or toward the distal end, an arrangement for mounting an item; and

at or toward the proximal end, an attachment portion defining an internal taper, whereby the support arm is engageable on the tapered member in a taper lock between the tapered member and the attachment portion and disengageable manually and without the use of tools, to mount the support arm to the tapered member.

2. A support arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the internal taper of the attachment portion substantially corresponds to the taper of the tapered member.

3. A support arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tapered member converges towards its upper end, and the internal taper in the attachment portion of the support arm converges towards its upper end, so that moving the attachment portion downwardly relative to the tapered member engages the respective tapers together.

4. A support arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tapered member has an eccentric or polygonal shape in cross section, with the interior of the attachment portion having a cross-sectional shape which substantially corresponds to at least part of the shape of the tapered member so that rotation between the attachment portion and tapered member is inhibited when the tapers are engaged.

6. A support arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment portion has an open part so that the interior of the attachment portion may be engaged with the tapered member by moving it into contact from the side, front or rear of the tapered member, and then sliding the attachment portion along the tapered member so that the tapers engage.

7. A support arm as claimed in claim 6, wherein the attachment portion has an open side so that the interior of the attachment portion may be engaged with the tapered member by moving it into contact from the side of the tapered member, and then sliding the attachment portion along the tapered member so that the tapers engage.

8. A support arm as claimed in claim 6, wherein the attachment portion is substantially “

C”

shaped in internal cross section.

9. A support arm as claimed in claim 8, wherein the attachment portion includes protrusions extending from the edges of the substantially “

C”

shape, partially across the open part, the protrusions sized to make it more difficult for the attachment portion to be removed in a sideways manner from the tapered member when the tapered parts are engaged, but to allow the attachment portion to be removed through the spaces between the protrusions when the tapered parts are not engaged.

10. A support arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interior of the attachment portion includes one or more release shuttles, each of which is slidable relative to the attachment portion and arranged to engage the outer surface of the tapered member when the tapered member and the attachment portion are engaged.

11. A support arm as claimed in claim 10, wherein the attachment portion is substantially “

C”

shaped in internal cross section, and the or each spring-loaded release shuttle is substantially “

C”

shaped.

12. A support arm as claimed in claim 11, wherein the ends of the substantial “

C”

shape of the or each shuttle extends so as to make it more difficult for the attachment portion to be removed in a sideways manner from the tapered member when the tapered parts are engaged, but to allow the attachment portion to be removed through the spaces between the ends of the shuttle(s) when the tapered portions are not engaged.

13. A support arm as claimed in claim 12, wherein the attachment portion includes protrusions extending from the edges of the substantially “

C”

shape, and the or each release shuttle is substantially aligned with respective protrusions extending from the substantially “

C”

shaped attachment portion.

14. A support arm as claimed in claim 10, wherein the included angle between the front and rear inner surfaces of the or each release shuttle substantially corresponds to the included angle between the front and rear outer surfaces of the tapered member.

15. A support arm as claimed in claim 14, wherein the included angle between the front and rear inner surfaces of the or each release shuttle is about 2 to 3 degrees.

16. A support arm as claimed in claim 14, wherein the included angle between the front and rear outer surfaces of the or each release shuttle, and the included angle between the front and rear inner surfaces of the attachment portion in the region of the or each release shuttle, is greater than the included angle between the front and rear inner surfaces of the or each release shuttle.

17. A support arm as claimed in claim 16, wherein the included angle between the front and rear outer surfaces of the or each release shuttle, and the included angle between the front and rear inner surfaces of the attachment portion in the region of the or each release shuttle, is about 14 degrees.

18. A support arm as claimed in claim 10, wherein the included angles between the side inner surfaces of the or each release shuttle substantially corresponds to the included angle between the side outer surfaces of the tapered member.

19. A support arm as claimed in claim 18, wherein the included angle between the side inner surfaces of the or each release shuttle is about 2 to 3 degrees.

20. A support arm as claimed in claim 18, wherein the included angle between the side outer surfaces of the or each release shuttle, and the included angle between the side inner surfaces of the attachment portion in the region of the or each release shuttle, is greater than the included angle between the side inner surfaces of the or each release shuttle.

21. A support arm as claimed in claim 20, wherein the included angle between the side outer surfaces of the or each release shuttle, and the included angle between the side inner surfaces of the attachment portion in the region of the or each release shuttle, is about 14 degrees.

22. A support arm as claimed in claim 10, wherein all inner and outer surfaces of the or each release shuttle, and of the attachment portion in the region of the or each release shuttle, are tapered.

23. A support arm as claimed in claim 22, wherein the included angles between all opposing outer surfaces of the or each release shuttle, and between all opposing inner surfaces of the attachment portion in the region of the or each release shuttle, are greater than the included angles between all opposing inner surfaces of the or each release shuttle.

24. A support arm as claimed in claim 23, wherein the included angles between all opposing internal surfaces of the or each release shuttle are about 2 to 3 degrees.

25. A support arm as claimed in claim 24, wherein the included angles between all opposing outer surfaces of the or each release shuttle, and between all opposing inner surfaces of the attachment portion in the region of the or each release shuttle, are about 14 degrees.

26. A support arm as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least a substantial part of the remainder of the interior of the attachment portion, other than the region(s) corresponding to the release shuttle(s), has an angle substantially corresponding to that of the tapered member.

27. A support arm as claimed in claim 10, wherein the or each release shuttle is biased towards the tapered end of the attachment portion.

28. A support arm as claimed in claim 27, wherein the or each release shuttle is biased by one or more compression springs.

29. A support arm as claimed in claim 27, wherein the or each release shuttle is biased by one or more leaf springs.

30. A support arm as claimed in claim 27, wherein the or each biased release shuttle is arranged such that as the attachment portion of the support arm is moved in the direction of its taper to detach it from the tapered member, the or each release shuttle initially moves with the tapered member, relative to the attachment portion, in a direction away from the taper and then snaps out of engagement with the tapered member to release the attachment portion from the tapered member.

31. A support arm as claimed in claim 10, wherein the or each release shuttle has a respective stop provided in the interior of the attachment portion to limit the movement of the or each release shuttle in a direction away from the taper.

32. A support arm as claimed in any claim 10, wherein the or each release shuttle is made of a plastics material.

33. A support arm as claimed in claim 10, wherein two spaced release shuttles are provided in the attachment portion.

34. A support arm as claimed claim 1, wherein the arrangement for mounting an item comprises a joint to which the item is attachable or attached.

35. A support arm as claimed in claim 34, wherein the item is permanently mounted to the joint.

36. A support arm as claimed in claim 34, wherein the item is removable from the joint and interchangeable with a further item.

37. A support arm as claimed in claim 34, wherein the position of the item is fixed relative to the arm assembly when the item is attached to the joint.

38. A support arm as claimed in claim 34, wherein the joint is configured to allow pivoting and rotating movement of the item relative to the arm portion.

39. A support arm as claimed in claim 38, wherein the pivoting and rotating joint is indexed for rotation.

40. A support arm as claimed in claim 39, wherein the joint is indexed for rotation such that an item attached to the joint may be rotated up to about 20 degrees towards the user and up to about 30 degrees away from the user in a substantially horizontal plane.

41. A support arm as claimed in claim 38, wherein the joint allows movement of the item between a use position in which it extends in a substantially perpendicular manner from the arm portion and a storage portion in which it hangs beside the arm portion.

42. A support arm as claimed in claim 40, wherein the joint is configured such that with the support arm attached to an arm of a chair and an item attached to the joint, a chair occupant can pivot the item in a substantially vertical plane towards the side of the chair so that it falls under the influence of gravity to the outside of the arm portion, or can rotate the item towards the front of the chair a sufficient distance that it will then pivot under the influence of gravity to the outside of the arm portion.

43. A support arm as claimed claim 1, wherein the arrangement to attach an item, or the item itself, is configured to allow sliding of the item in at least one dimension relative to the arm portion.

44. A support arm as claimed in claim 43, wherein the item is slidable in two dimensions relative to the arm portion.

45. A support arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm portion is curved upwardly from the attachment portion such that the item is located above and forward of the attachment portion when the support arm is attached to a tapered member.

46. A support arm as claimed claim 1, wherein the arm portion includes a projection at or towards the distal end thereof, thereby forming a dogleg configuration, with the arrangement to attach an item provided at or adjacent a distal end of the projection.

47. A support arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein the item is one or more selected from the group of:

a work surface or tablet, a work box for containing writing implements, a keyboard, a mouse pad, a notebook computer, and a cup holder.

48. A support arm as claimed in claim 47, wherein the item is a work surface mounted at or adjacent the distal end of the arm portion.

49. A support arm as claimed in claim 48, wherein the work surface is in the form of a tablet.

50. A support arm as claimed in claim 49, wherein the tablet includes a cup holder to hold a cup, glass, tumbler, or the like.

51. A support arm as claimed in claim 50, wherein the cup holder is arranged to move between a position located in a recess in the tablet and a position located adjacent the tablet.

52. A support arm as claimed in claim 51, wherein the cup holder is pivotally connected to the tablet.

53. A support arm as claimed in claim 51, wherein the cup holder is slidably mounted in the tablet.

54. A support arm as claimed in claim 51, wherein the cup holder includes a four bar linkage to provide a cup supporting base when the cup holder is positioned adjacent the tablet, and which folds up upon returning the cup holder to the recess.

55. A support arm as claimed in claim 51, wherein the cup holder includes an elastomeric section to stabilize an item therein.

61. A chair comprising a base supporting a seat, a back, and a pair of tapered arm members, with a support arm as claimed in claim 1 attached to one of the arm members, the support arm being disengageable from the arm member by moving it upwardly and outwardly relative to the arm member.

5. A support arm as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tapered member is substantially square or rectangular in cross section.

56. A support arm for supporting a work surface from a tapered chair arm, the support arm including:

an arm portion having a proximal end and a distal end;

a work surface mounted at or toward the distal end; and

at or toward the proximal end, an attachment portion defining an internal taper, whereby the support arm is engageable on the tapered member in a taper lock between the tapered member and the attachment portion and disengageable manually and without the use of tools, to mount the support arm to the tapered member.

57. A support arm as claimed in claim 56, wherein the tapered member converges towards its upper end, and the internal taper in the attachment portion of the support arm converges towards its upper end, so that moving the attachment portion downwardly relative to the tapered member engages the respective tapers together.

58. A support arm as claimed in claim 56, wherein the work surface is moveable between a position in which it extends in a substantially perpendicular manner from the arm portion and a storage portion in which it hangs beside the arm portion.

59. A support arm as claimed in claim 56, wherein the work surface is in the form of a tablet.

60. A support arm as claimed in claim 56, wherein the tablet includes a cup holder to hold a cup, glass, tumbler, or the like, and wherein the cup holder is arranged to move between a position located in a recess in the tablet and a position located adjacent the tablet.

62. A chair comprising a base supporting a seat, a back, and a pair of tapered arm members, with a support arm as claimed in claim 56 attached to one of the arm members, the support arm being disengageable from the arm member by moving it upwardly and outwardly relative to the arm member.