Ergonomic Armrest

• US 20090091174A1
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humanscale Corporation
• Original Assignee: Humanscale Corporation
• Inventors: Diffrient, Niels
• Granted Patent: US 7,980,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/411.36
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/023 the parts being horizontally-adjustable seats ; Expandable seats or the like, e.g. seats with horizontally adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03 the parts being arm-rests conversion into a bed A47C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03255 with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/036 the parts including a head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/38 for the head adjustable coupled to reclining or easy chairs A47C1/036

Abstract

Disclosed is an adjustable armrest that can readily raised, or lowered, and optionally rotated in a horizontal plane. In one embodiment, the present armrest is released from its use position be raising the front portion of the armrest. The armrest is moved into the desired position and then the front portion is lowered to secure the armrest in the desired position.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting the vertical position of a first armrest comprising:

(a) repositioning said first armrest upward or downward to a desired vertical position; and

(b) releasing said first armrest in a manner effective to engage a locking mechanism that holds said first armrest in the desired vertical position.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) raising the distal end of said first armrest to an altitude greater than the altitude of the medial end of said first armrest, wherein the medial end of said first armrest is mounted to a linkage arm; and

(b) wherein the step of releasing said first armrest further comprises releasing said distal end in a manner effective to return said distal end to an altitude substantially the same as said medial end of said first armrest.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein repositioning said first armrest simultaneously repositions a second armrest.

3. An adjustable arm for a chair comprising:

(a) a parallel arm mechanism mounted at a first end to a back support of said chair;

(b) said parallel arm mechanism mounted at a second end to an armrest body wherein said armrest body maintains an orientation substantially parallel to the seat of said chair.

4. The adjustable arm of claim 3 further comprising a locking mechanism.

5. The adjustable arm of claim 3 further comprising:

(a) a mechanism for securing said armrest body at a fixed height; and

(b) wherein said first end of said parallel arm mechanism is mounted at a point that is at least about 6 inches above a rear portion of a seat of said chair and positioned behind a user'"'"'s back, and wherein said first end of said parallel arm mechanism is rotatably attached to a pivot axis for raising and lowering said armrest body.

7. In a chair, a pivotable armrest comprising:

(a) at least two parallel bars mounted to the chair, each of the parallel bars pivotably mounted to the chair at a first end and pivotably mounted to the armrest at a second end;

(b) a clevis base mounted between the second ends of the parallel bars with a pin, such that the armrest pivots in a horizontal plane around the pin; and

(c) an index arm mounted on the pin, wherein the index arm is restricted within a range of movement as the armrest pivots in the horizontal plane.

8. The pivotable armrest of claim 7 further comprising a means for locking and unlocking the armrest against pivoting.

9. The pivotable armrest of claim 8 wherein the means for locking and unlocking the armrest against pivoting comprises a sliding control within the reach of a user of the chair, and wherein the sliding control moves between a locked and unlocked position, the unlocked position allowing the index arm to move freely within the range of movement, and the locked position securing the index arm against movement.