Chair with removable worksurface

• US 5,954,393 A
• Filed: 05/28/1998
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Perrin, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US09/086,177
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 297/188.18, 297/135, 297/160, 297/161, 297/162, 297/174, 297/440.1, 297/173, 297/411.26
• US Class Current: 297/161
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/70 of foldable type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/705 of detachable type

Abstract

A chair including a worksurface assembly which is selectively mounted to an arm of the chair. A connecting structure interface between the chair arm and worksurface assembly allows the worksurface assembly to be easily removed from and remounted on the chair arm. The worksurface assembly when removed from the chair operates as a mobile worksurface for the user. The worksurface assembly has a tablet defining an upper worksurface thereon. The tablet is pivotable relative to the base into selected use positions when the base is mounted on the chair arm.

Claims

1. A chair assembly comprising a chair having an arm extending therefrom and a worksurface assembly having a horizontal planar working surface, a mounting stem extending essentially horizontally from and essentially parallel to said arm, a cushioned arm pad mounted on said arm wholly covering said mounting stem from above to prevent contact of a person'"'"'s arm against said stem, said worksurface assembly including a base and a tablet mounted on said base, said tablet defining said working surface, said base having a socket adapted to receive said stem therein, a releasable retainer joining said base and said stem so that said worksurface assembly is removably secured to said stem in a worksurface assembly mounted position, said mounted position orienting said tablet forwardly of said chair for use by a person seated in said chair, said releasable retainer having a securement force securing said stem and socket together, said worksurface assembly being movable outwardly from said stem by a force at least slightly greater than said securement force to release said socket from said stem so that said worksurface assembly is removable from said chair arm and is usable remote from said chair.

2. The chair assembly according to claim 1, wherein a pivot mounts said base and tablet together and defines an upright pivot axis that allows horizontal pivoting of said tablet relative to said base to a plurality of use positions, said plurality of use positions including a first position directly in front of a person seated in the chair and a second position horizontally offset from said first position, said base including a detent mechanism extending upwardly therefrom, said tablet having a plurality of detent recesses therein corresponding to the plurality of use positions, said detent mechanism being alignable to one of the plurality of detent recesses and being engaged therewith to retain said tablet in one of said first and second positions, said detent mechanism retaining said tablet in said one position by a retaining force, said tablet being pivoted about said pivot axis upon receipt of a horizontally directed force slightly greater than said retaining force.

3. A chair assembly, comprising a chair having a chair arm disposed adjacent at least one side thereof, the chair arm having a first mounting part provided thereon, a worksurface assembly including a worksurface member having an enlarged upper surface defining a worksurface and having a base mounted to an underside of said worksurface member, said base having a second mounting part releasably engaged with said first mounting part to removably mount said worksurface assembly on said chair arm, one of said mounting parts including a stem and the other of said mounting parts including a socket removably receiving said stem so as to removably secure said worksurface assembly to said chair arm, and a releasable retaining structure for normally removably securing said second mounting part in engagement with said first mounting part, said retaining structure including recesses in said socket and securement members on said stem, said recesses receiving said securement members to releasably secure said worksurface assembly to said chair arm.

4. A chair assembly, comprising a chair having a chair arm disposed adjacent at least one side thereof, the chair arm having a first mounting part provided thereon, a worksurface assembly including a worksurface member having an enlarged upper surface defining a worksurface and having a base mounted to an underside of said worksurface member, said base having a second mounting part releasably engaged with said first mounting part to removably mount said worksurface assembly on said chair arm, a releasable retaining structure for normally removably securing said second mounting part in engagement with said first mounting part, and said chair arm including an arm pad which covers said first mounting part from above when said worksurface assembly is detached from the chair arm.

5. The chair assembly according to claim 4, wherein one of said mounting parts includes a stem and the other of said mounting parts includes a socket removably receiving said stem so as to removably secure said worksurface assembly to said chair arm, said stem being cantilevered from said chair arm, and said arm pad covers said stem from above to prevent contact with said stem from above by an arm of a person seated in said chair when said worksurface assembly is detached from said chair arm.

6. The chair assembly according to claim 5, wherein the worksurface assembly includes a platelike tablet, and wherein the arm pad overlies a rear end portion of said tablet.

7. A chair assembly, comprising a chair having a chair arm disposed adjacent at least one side thereof, the chair arm having a first mounting part provided thereon, a worksurface assembly including a worksurface member having an enlarged upper surface defining a worksurface and having a base mounted to an underside of said worksurface member, said base having a second mounting part releasably engaged with said first mounting part to removably mount said worksurface assembly on said chair arm, and a releasable retaining structure for normally removably securing said second mounting part in engagement with said first mounting part, said retaining structure comprising a resilient detent mechanism to removably secure said worksurface assembly on said first mounting part, said worksurface assembly being removable from said chair arm by manually applying a separation force of predetermined minimum magnitude to said worksurface assembly so as to effect release of said resilient detent mechanism.

8. The chair assembly according to claim 7, wherein said resilient detent mechanism includes a securement member movably mounted to said first mounting part and a detent recess in said second mounting part, said securement member being biased outwardly from said first mounting part at a biasing force and engaging said detent recess to releasably secure said first and second mounting parts together and disengaging said detent recess when said separation force is applied to said worksurface assembly to overcome said biasing force.

9. A chair assembly, comprising a chair having a chair arm fixed to the chair and disposed adjacent at least one side thereof, the chair arm having an upwardly facing arm part positioned for engagement with an occupant'"'"'s arm, the chair arm also having a first mounting part provided thereon and positioned underneath the arm part, a worksurface assembly including a worksurface member having a horizontally enlarged upper surface defining a worksurface and having a base mounted to an underside of said worksurface member, said base having a second mounting part releasably engaged with said first mounting part to removably mount said worksurface assembly on said chair arm, and a releasable retaining structure for normally removably securing said second mounting part in engagement with said first mounting part, said releasable retaining structure being beneath said upper surface when said second mounting part is in engagement with said first mounting part.

10. The chair assembly according to claim 9, wherein one of said mounting parts includes a stem and the other of said mounting parts includes a socket removably receiving said stem so as to removably secure said worksurface assembly to said chair arm.

11. The chair assembly according to claim 9, wherein said first mounting part includes a stem and said second mounting part includes a socket removably receiving said stem so as to removably secure said worksurface assembly to said chair arm.

12. The chair assembly according to claim 11, wherein said stem extends from said chair arm and said socket is positioned in said base, said socket being directly beneath said upper surface.

13. The chair assembly according to claim 12, wherein said stem is disposed beneath said upwardly facing arm part and is releasably secured in said socket.

14. A chair assembly, comprising a chair having a chair arm disposed adjacent at least one side thereof, the chair arm having a first mounting Dart provided thereon, a worksurface assembly including a worksurface member having an enlarged upper surface defining a worksurface and having a base mounted to an underside of said worksurface member, said base having a second mounting part releasably engaged with said first mounting part to removably mount said worksurface assembly on said chair arm, a releasable retaining structure for normally removably securing said second mounting part in engagement with said first mounting part, said worksurface member comprising a tablet defining thereon said upper surface, a pivot pivotally securing said tablet to said base and defining a substantially vertical pivot axis, and a detent mechanism pivotally positioning said tablet relative to said base in a plurality of positions spaced horizontally about said pivot axis.

15. The chair assembly according to claim 14, wherein said pivot axis extends transverse to said upper surface.

16. A chair assembly comprising:

a chair having a seat, a back, and a chair arm fixedly related relative to said seat and back and disposed adjacent one side thereof, said chair arm including an arm part which is spaced upwardly from the seat adjacent said one side thereof and which defines thereon an upwardly-facing top surface adapted for engagement with an occupant'"'"'s arm, the chair arm also having a first mounting part provided thereon and positioned generally beneath the arm part so as to not interfere with the occupant'"'"'s use of the chair arm;

a worksurface assembly detachably engagable with said chair arm so as to project horizontally outwardly from the chair arm to define a worksurface, said worksurface assembly including a tablet-like worksurface member having a horizontally enlarged upper surface which defines said worksurface, and a second mounting part fixedly carried on said worksurface member and releasably engaged with said first mounting part to detachably mount said worksurface assembly on said chair arm; and

a releasable retaining structure for normally removably securing said second mounting part in engagement with said first mounting part while permitting said worksurface assembly to be manually detached from said chair in response to manual application of a separation force to the worksurface assembly.

17. A chair assembly according to claim 16, wherein said arm part adjacent a front end thereof has a slot formed therein below said top surface and opening horizontally for accommodating therein a rear edge portion of the tablet-like worksurface member when the worksurface assembly is mounted on the chair arm.

18. A chair assembly according to claim 16, wherein the first mounting part is disposed adjacent a front end of the arm part remote from the chair back and the worksurface assembly projects forwardly from the arm part when mounted on the chair arm.

19. A chair assembly according to claim 16, wherein said chair arm is cantilevered forwardly from said chair back, and said worksurface assembly removably mounts solely to said chair arm adjacent a forward free end thereof so that said worksurface assembly projects forwardly from the chair arm.

20. A chair assembly according to claim 16, wherein said second mounting part is disposed directly beneath the upper surface of said worksurface member so that the worksurface assembly, when detached from the chair arm, can be readily manually supported and used as a portable worksurface.