Height-adjustment mechanism for an armrest

Abstract

A height-adjustment mechanism may include an integral one-piece leverage body; an integral one-piece sleeve; and a locking member. In an embodiment, the integral one-piece leverage body has a handle, a pair of pivot pins projecting from opposed sides, a tongue projecting rearwardly, and a resilient biasing member projecting forwardly. These parts may be made of low cost materials suitable for integrally forming their features in an injection-moulding operation. Various features built in to these parts may provide a user with a sense of quality.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to adjustable chairs, and more particularly to a height-adjustment mechanism for an armrest. [0002] Various designs for height-adjustable armrests are known. Some known designs require numerous parts and relatively expensive materials, making such designs less cost competitive. Other known designs include relatively few parts, making them generally less expensive, but such designs may not appear to be of a high quality. [0003] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,347 issued to Tseng (“Tseng '347”) discloses a design for a height-adjustable armrest unit comprising an L-shaped support bar, a vertical sleeve, and a leverage body. In Tseng '347, a tongue provided at a lower end of the leverage body is adapted to engage a positioning hole located on the support bar. The leverage body may be pivoted to disengage the tongue from the positioning hole to allow the sleeve (and the leverage body) to be vertically adjusted r...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a height-adjustment mechanism for an armrest that includes an integral one-piece leverage body, a one-piece sleeve, and a locking member. These parts may be made of low cost materials suitable for integrally forming their features in an injection-molding operation. The leverage body has a handle, pivot pins, a tongue, and a resilient biasing member. The sleeve has pivot seats for the pivot pins and ribs. The mechanism also includes a support and a locking member. The invention provides a sense of quality and prevents rattling between parts.

Problems solved by technology

Other known designs include relatively few parts, making them generally less expensive, but such designs may not appear to be of a high quality.

While Tseng '347 may reduce product cost with fewer parts, the design may not provide a user with a sense that the armrest adjustment mechanism is of a high quality.

Images