Chair control mechanism

• US 6,619,740 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leggett & Platt Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leggett & Platt Incorporated
• Inventors: Beggs, Kenneth Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer, Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US09/845,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 297/302.1, 297/302.4, 297/302.5, 297/302.6, 297/302.7, 297/310, 297/463.1, 297/463.2, 297/300.1, 297/363, 297/364, 403/315, 403/316
• US Class Current: 297/300.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/026 by means of peg-and-notch or pawl-and-ratchet mechanism

Abstract

A chair control mechanism is adapted to decrease a likelihood of the mechanism becoming unintentionally disengaged from a locked position. In particular, a control arm has locked position wherein a seat plate is restricted in movement relative to a main bracket and an unlocked position where the movement relative to said main bracket is allowed. A latch bar is biased against the control arm and the control arm is notched such that axial sliding of the control arm into said unlocked position is possible only after providing a force necessary to disengage said latch bar from said notch.

Claims

1. A chair control mechanism with a latch comprising:

an arm mounted in a main bracket for axial sliding between a first position and a second position;

a latch bar extending transversely of said arm and biased against said arm increase the force necessary to axially slide said arm; and

a seat plate pivotally mounted to said main bracket;

wherein said arm has a restraint adapted to engage said latch bar while said arm is in said first portion, such that said axial sliding of said arm into said second position is possible only after providing a force necessary to disengage said latch bar from said restraint; and

wherein said first position is a locked position wherein said seat plate is restricted in movement relative to said main bracket and said second position is an unlocked position where said seat plate movement relative to said main bracket is allowed.

2. The chair control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said arm may be rotated while said latch bar is engaged in said restraint.

3. The chair control mechanism of claim 1 wherein said latch bar is a resilient metal wire.

4. The chair control mechanism of claim 3 wherein one end of said resilient metal wire hooks onto and bears against said main bracket and the opposite end of said resilient metal wire bears against the bottom of said seat plate.

5. The chair control mechanism of claim 4 wherein said restraint comprises a notch in said arm.

6. A chair control mechanism with a latch comprising:

an arm mounted in a main bracket for axial sliding between a first position and a second position; and

a resilient metal wire biased against said arm to increase the force necessary to axially slide said arm;

wherein said arm has a restraint adapted to engage said resilient metal wire while said arm is in said first position, such that said axial sliding of said arm into said second position is possible only after providing a force necessary to disengage said resilient metal wire from said restraint.

7. The chair control mechanism of claim 6, wherein said restraint comprises a notch in said arm.