Ergonomic chair arm

• US 8,104,837 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humanscale Corporation
• Original Assignee: Humanscale Corporation
• Inventors: Diffrient, Niels
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US12/173,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20090015053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 297/411.31, 297/411.32, 297/411.37, 297/411.38
• US Class Current: 297/411.31
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03 the parts being arm-rests conversion into a bed A47C17/12

Abstract

The invention provides a chair armrest that is variably adjustable to allow a user to assume an ergonomically preferred sitting position. The ergonomic chair armrest comprises, either separately or together, an arm support assembly capable of adjustment to various positions through a vertical plane and an arm pad assembly capable of adjustment to various positions through a horizontal plane. The invention further provides an ergonomic chair having an armrest that is adjustable in both a vertical plane and a horizontal plane.

Claims

1. A chair arm pad assembly comprising:

a. an arm pad pan;

b. a front link connected to said arm pad pan;

c. a rear link connected to said arm pad pan;

d. a link locking mechanism releasably engaged to said front link;

e. a link lock release button operably engaged to said link locking mechanism; and

f. wherein said arm pad pan comprises a front slot track and a rear slot track.

2. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said front link and said rear link are attached in a sliding junction.

3. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said front link and said rear link are slidably attached to an underlying object.

4. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 3, wherein the arm pad assembly is capable of moving in the horizontal plain relative to the underlying object.

5. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 1, wherein the length of said front slot track is greater than the length of said rear slot track.

6. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said link locking mechanism comprises a plurality of fingers capable of interacting with said front link.

7. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said link lock release button is pivotally attached to said link locking mechanism.

8. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 7, wherein said pivotal attachment is through an actuating crank.

9. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said front link and said rear link are pivotally attached to said arm pad pan.

10. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said link lock release button is attached to said link locking mechanism such that actuation of said link lock release button moves said link locking mechanism out of engagement with said front link.

11. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 1, wherein said link locking mechanism further comprises a biasing mechanism for urging said link locking mechanism into engagement with said front link.

12. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 1, further comprising an arm pad covering.

13. A chair arm pad assembly comprising:

a. an arm pad pan;

b. a front link connected to said arm pad pan;

c. a rear link connected to said arm pad pan;

d. a link locking mechanism capable of interacting with said front link;

e. a link lock release button operably engaged to said link locking mechanism; and

f. wherein said arm pad pan comprises a front slot track and a rear slot track.

14. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 13, wherein the length of said front slot track is greater than the length of said rear slot track.

15. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 13, wherein said front link is connected to an underlying object through said front slot track and said rear link is connected to said underlying object through said rear slot track.

16. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 13, wherein said front link and said rear link are attached in a sliding junction.

17. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 13, wherein said link locking mechanism further comprises a biasing mechanism for urging said link locking mechanism into engagement with said front link.

18. A chair arm pad assembly comprising:

a. an arm pad pan;

b. a front link connected to said arm pad pan;

c. a rear link connected to said arm pad pan;

d. a link locking mechanism capable of interacting with said front link;

e. a link lock release button operably engaged to said link locking mechanism; and

f. wherein said link locking mechanism comprises a plurality of fingers capable of interacting with said front link.

19. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 18, wherein said front link and said rear link are attached in a sliding junction.

20. The chair arm pad assembly of claim 18, wherein said arm pad pan comprises a front slot track and a rear slot track.