Armrest writing surface having adjustable angle

• US 5,372,403 A
• Filed: 11/15/1991
• Issued: 12/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Juan R. Puerto
• Original Assignee: Juan R. Puerto
• Inventors: Puerto, Juan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brittain, James R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US07/792,587
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 297/194, 297/188, 297/145, 312/311, 312/313, 312/233, 108/43, 40/145
• US Class Current: 297/188.17
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03 the parts being arm-rests conversion into a bed A47C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/70 of foldable type

Abstract

An armrest provided with a writing surface for a seated user, such armrest being of narrow, elongate construction and having a rear end, a front end, an interior portion and an upper portion. A usable surface of elongate configuration is disposed in the upper portion of the armrest, with this usable surface being supported in a manner enabling the usable surface to be slidably withdrawn from the front end of the armrest, and thereafter to be returned at the option of the user to a retracted location in the interior of the armrest. The usable surface is unimpaired as a writing surface by virtue of the slidable mounting for this member being located on the underside of the usable surface. A tiltable writing surface may be hingedly mounted on the usable surface, with the tiltable writing surface having a device thereon by which writing material can be removably attached to the tiltable writing surface. An advantageous arrangement is provided for supporting the tiltable writing surface in a desired angular relationship to the usable surface, latter arrangement enabling the user to select the particular angle at which a writing pad or other such writing material can be maintained. A storage container may be utilized in the interior of the armrest, with a hinged lid forming the cover for the storage container. In the preferred embodiment, the usable surface is slidably mounted in the interior of the hinged lid.

Claims

1. An armrest provided with a writing surface for a seated user, said armrest being of narrow, elongate construction and having a rear end as well as a front end and an upper portion, said armrest also having an interior portion, an aperture disposed in an upper portion of the front end of said armrest and disposed in contact with the interior portion of said armrest, a usable surface having a front and rear end of elongate configuration operatively disposed in the interior of said armrest, means slidably supporting said usable surface in a manner enabling said usable surface to be slidably withdrawn from the interior of said armrest through said aperture in the front end of said armrest, and thereafter returned by a user to a retracted location in the interior of said armrest, the front end of said usable surface being disposed higher than the rear end thereof, such usable surface thus defining a writing surface disposed at a convenient angle, said usable surface being provided on its underside with slidable support means, said usable surface thus being unimpaired as a writing surface by virtue of said slidable means being located on its underside, said usable surface having means thereon by which a writing pad can be removably attached to said surface, said aperture being sufficiently large as to make possible a writing pad remaining on said usable surface when the usable surface is to be returned to the retracted location in the armrest.

2. The armrest as recited in claim 1 in which said armrest is pivotably mounted upon pivotal mounting means provided at the rear end of said armrest, such pivotal mounting means enabling the tilting of the armrest by a user.

3. An armrest provided with a writing surface for a seated user, said armrest being of narrow, elongate construction and having a rear end as well as a front end and an upper portion, a usable surface of elongate configuration disposed in said upper portion of said armrest, means slidably supporting said usable surface in a manner enabling said usable surface to be slidably withdrawn from said front end of said armrest, and thereafter to be returned by a user to a retracted location in the interior of said armrest, said usable surface being provided on its underside with slidable support means, such usable surface thus defining a writing surface, such surface being unimpaired as a writing surface by virtue of said slidable means being located on its underside, a tiltable writing surface hingedly mounted on said usable surface, said tiltable writing surface having means thereon by which a writing pad can be removably attached to said tiltable writing surface.

4. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 3 in which means are provided for supporting said tiltable writing surface in an angular relationship to said usable surface said means for supporting said tiltable writing surface enabling the user to select an angle at which a writing pad can be maintained.

5. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 4 in which said tiltable mounting surface has an underside, and said means for supporting said tiltable writing surface is a member hingedly mounted on such underside.

6. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 3 in which beverage supporting means is located near the front end of said armrest.

7. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 3 in which beverage supporting means is located near the rear end of said armrest.

8. The armrest provided with a writing surface as defined in claim 3 in which said usable surface is one of a plurality of members longitudinally slidable out of said armrest, with others of such members serving as mounting means for components of further assistance to the user of the armrest.

9. An armrest provided with a writing surface for a seated user, said armrest being of narrow, elongate construction and having a rear end as well as a front end and an upper portion, said armrest defining in its interior a storage container, said storage container having a top opening that is equipped with a lid of elongate configuration, hinge means for supporting said lid, said lid having long side edges as well as a front end, with an interior in which is disposed an elongate usable surface capable of being utilized for supporting writing material, means slidably supporting said usable surface in a manner enabling said usable surface to be slidably withdrawn from said front end of said lid by the user, and thereafter to be returned to a retracted location in the interior of said lid by the user, said usable surface serving as a writing surface for the seated user, said surface being unimpaired as a writing surface by virtue of said slidable means being located on the underside of said usable surface, whereby upon said usable surface being slidably withdrawn from said lid of said armrest, a writing tablet can be utilized upon said usable surface.

10. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 9 in which a tiltable writing surface is hingedly mounted on said usable surface, said tiltable writing surface having means thereon by which a writing pad can be removably attached to said tiltable writing surface.

11. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 10 in which means are provided for supporting said tiltable writing surface in an angular relationship to said usable surface, said means for supporting said tiltable writing surface enabling the user to select the particular angle at which a writing pad can be maintained.

12. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 9 in which said hinge means for supporting said lid is located along one of its long side edges, said lid, when lifted, giving the user access to said storage container.

13. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 9 in which said lid has a rear surface opposite its front end, said hinge means for supporting said lid being located at its rear surface.

14. The armrest provided with a writing surface as defined in claim 13 in which said usable surface forming a component of the lid of said storage container is comprised of first and second parts, with said second part hingedly mounted upon said first part, the hinge means being disposed laterally on one side of said first part of said usable surface, on a side away from the user of the armrest, whereby the user can extend the effective width of said usable surface by lifting the free edge of the second part, and moving it away from him.

15. A tiltable armrest of narrow, elongate construction, and providing therein a writing surface capable of being readily utilized by a seated user, said armrest having a rear end as well as a front end, and also having an upper portion as well as a lower portion, a pivotal support adjacent the lower portion of said armrest, near said rear end thereof, enabling said armrest to be pivoted upwardly on occasion, said armrest defining an interior storage container having a top opening, with a hinged lid serving as a cover for said storage container, hinge means supporting said lid such that on occasion it can be raised to grant the user access to said storage container, said lid having long side edges and a front end in which an opening is provided, said lid having an interior portion accessed by such opening, a usable surface of elongate configuration slidably mounted in the interior of said lid, said usable surface being able to be slidably withdrawn through the opening in the front end of said lid, said usable surface having an upper portion clear of any support means, said usable surface defining a writing surface, with such surface being available for the placement thereon of writing material, said usable surface having slidable support means located on an underside thereof, for enabling the usable surface to be slidably withdrawn from said front end of said lid by a user, means adjacent a forward end of said upper portion upon which writing material can be attached in a usable position, whereby upon said usable surface being slidably withdrawn from said lid of said armrest, writing material can be utilized without any interference from any component or aspect of said support means.

16. The tiltable armrest as recited in claim 15 in which a tiltable writing surface is hingedly mounted on said usable surface, said tiltable writing surface having means thereon by which a writing pad can be removably attached to said tiltable writing surface.

17. The tiltable armrest as recited in claim 16 in which means are provided for supporting said tiltable writing surface in an angular relationship to said usable surface, said means enabling the user to select an angle at which a writing pad can be maintained.

18. The tiltable armrest as recited in claim 15 in which said hinge means is disposed along one of said long side edges of said lid.

19. The tiltable armrest as recited in claim 15 in which said lid has a rear surface opposite its front surface, said hinge means being located at its rear surface.

20. The tiltable armrest as defined in claim 19 in which said usable surface forming a component of the lid of said storage container is comprised of first and second parts, with said second part hingedly mounted upon said first part, the hinge means being disposed laterally on one side of said first part of said usable surface, on a side away from the user of the armrest, whereby the user can extend the effective width of said usable surface by lifting the free edge of the second part, and moving it away from him.

21. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 15 in which beverage supporting means is located near the front end of said armrest.

22. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 15 in which beverage supporting means is located near the rear end of said armrest.

23. An armrest provided with an extensible-retractable writing surface for a seated user, said armrest being of narrow, elongate construction, and having a rear end as well as a front end and an upper portion, said armrest also having an interior portion, an aperture disposed in an upper portion of the front end of said armrest and disposed in contact with the interior portion of said armrest, a writing surface having a front and rear end, said writing surface being of relatively rigid, elongate configuration operatively disposed in the interior of said armrest, means slidably supporting said writing surface in a manner enabling said surface to be slidably withdrawn from the interior of said armrest through said aperture in the front end of said armrest, and thereafter returned by a user to a retracted location in the interior of said armrest, the front end of said writing surface being disposed higher than the rear end thereof, thus presenting a writing surface that resides at an angle convenient for use by the seated user, said writing surface being provided on its underside with slidable support means, said writing surface thus being unimpaired as a surface upon which to write by virtue of said slidable means being located on its underside, said usable writing surface having means thereon by which a writing pad can be removably attached to said surface.

24. The armrest as recited in claim 23 in which said aperture is sufficiently large as to make possible a writing pad remaining on said writing surface at the time said writing surface is to be returned to the retracted location in the armrest.

25. The armrest as recited in claim 23 in which said armrest is pivotally mounted upon pivotal mounting means provided at the rear end of said armrest, such pivotal mounting means enabling the tilting of the armrest by a user.

26. An armrest provided with a writing surface for a seated user, said armrest being of narrow, elongate construction and having a rear end as well as a front end and an upper portion, a writing surface of elongate configuration disposed in said upper portion of said armrest, means slidably supporting said writing surface in a manner enabling said surface to be slidably withdrawn from said front end of said armrest, and thereafter to be returned by a user to a retracted location in an interior of said armrest, said writing surface being provided on its underside with slidable support means, such surface thus being unimpaired as a writing surface by virtue of said slidable means being located on its the underside of said writing surface, said writing surface being hingedly mounted so as to be tiltable, said tiltable writing surface having means thereon by which a writing pad can be removably attached to said tiltable writing surface.

27. The armrest provided with a writing surface as recited in claim 26 in which means are provided for supporting said tiltable writing surface in an angular relationship to said usable surface, said means for supporting said tiltable writing surface enabling the user to select an angle at which a writing pad can be maintained.