ARMREST, ESPECIALLY FOR AN OFFICE CHAIR

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an armrest, in particular for an office chair.

[0002] Adjustable armrests are known from the prior art, see, for example, EP 1 405 582 A1 and US 2018 / 020834 A1. They often feature a rotation and longitudinal adjustment mechanism. Armrests with multiple adjustment options are usually complex in design and comprise a large number of interacting structural elements.

[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide an armrest which is structurally particularly simple.

[0004] This object is achieved by an armrest according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

[0005] The armrest according to the invention comprises an armrest column and an armrest which is mounted on the armrest column and rotatable about a rotation axis and which is linearly displaceable relative to the armrest column, wherein the rotating mechanism for rotating the armrest is arranged substantially entirely within the armrest column, wherein the armrest is connected to the armrest column in a linearly displaceable manner by means of a slotted guide, wherein the slotted guide has a guide slot provided on the underside of the armrest and two simultaneously acting guide elements which engage through the guide slot, characterized in that the rotating mechanism comprises a pivot bearing and the guide elements of the slotted guide are fastened to a rotating piece of the pivot bearing.

[0006] A basic idea of ​​the invention is to arrange the rotating mechanism, at least almost entirely or essentially, inside the armrest column. This means that the rotating mechanism is located inside a structural element of the armrest which is optionally movable in height, i.e. vertically, but not horizontally, and this neither in the form of a linear movement nor in the form of a rotary movement. In other words, the rotating mechanism is not located inside an armrest component mounted on the armrest column and performing a horizontal movement, such as the armrest. Instead, the rotating mechanism, which enables rotation of the armrest, is placed separately from the armrest, namely in the armrest column.

[0007] This not only simplifies the structural design of the armrest, but also simplifies the assembly process, as the rotating mechanism simply needs to be mounted into the usually widened opening in the armrest column. Complicated installation of small parts inside the armrest is eliminated.

[0008] The present invention not only makes it possible to construct the armrest with a particularly simple design, but also allows for a particularly flat design. This low required height results in a large number of advantageous design options.

[0009] Compared to the previously known adjustable armrests, which, due to the use of only a single central guide element for the longitudinal adjustment, placed particularly high demands on the mechanical load-bearing capacity of this guide element and its supporting, holding and guiding components, the invention allows the use of more economical materials, as two simultaneously acting guide or force transfer elements are used, as the forces acting on these elements, which are transmitted from the user via the armrest to the armrest column,

[0010] Halving forces. As a result, the guide slot on the underside of the armrest, which forms the functional opening for the longitudinal adjustment of the armrest, can be made significantly narrower than in prior art solutions. Advantageously, the width of the guide slot is less than 7 mm, so that from a safety perspective, it no longer represents a shearing or pinching point for the chair user's fingers. The guide slot then no longer needs to be laboriously closed or secured against pinching, for example, by means of a cover that moves along with the longitudinal adjustment, thus further reducing the design complexity of the armrest.

[0011] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 the armrest (longitudinal section), Fig. 2 the armrest (cross section), Fig. 3 parts of the armrest and the rotating mechanism, Fig. 4 the armrest sleeve without rotating mechanism, Fig. 5 the armrest sleeve with rotating mechanism, Fig. 6 the armrest without support body.

[0012] All figures show the invention not to scale, but merely schematically and with only its essential components. Like reference numerals correspond to elements with the same or comparable function. Fig. 3 and 4 , combined with each other, show an exploded view of the Fig. 6 shown armrest without support body.

[0013] As in the Fig. 1 bis 5 As shown, the armrest 1 comprises a height-adjustable, in particular telescopically constructed armrest column 2, the outer sleeve 6 of which is widened at its upper end compared to the actual column part and in this way forms a bearing head 3 for an armrest 9. The outer sleeve 6 of the armrest column 2, which is open at the top but in any case has a sufficiently large opening 7, is closed by the armrest 9 like a lid. As described in more detail below, the armrest 9 can be rotated relative to the armrest column 2 about a vertical axis of rotation 8 and displaced linearly in the longitudinal direction 21 of the armrest relative to the armrest column 2. During both movements, the armrest 9 rests on the edge 52 of the opening 7 of the armrest column 2. The opening edge 52 and the underside 40 of the armrest 9 thus simultaneously delimit the interior space 10 of the armrest column 2 at the top.

[0014] For adjusting the height of the armrest 1, an operating knob 4 is provided, which protrudes through an outwardly open opening in the armrest column 2. The armrest column 2 can be attached to the base of the office chair (not shown) using an armrest support 5 extending horizontally from its lower foot end. The specifications "back / front" or "top / bottom" or "vertical / horizontal" etc. refer to the normal use of the office chair.

[0015] The armrest 9 comprises a base support 11 and a support body 12 detachably connected to the base support 11. The base support 11 and support body 12 can be connected to one another, for example, by forming a screw, locking, snap, or clamp connection. A guide slot 31 extending in the longitudinal direction 21 of the armrest is provided in the base support 11 of the armrest 9. This guide slot serves to provide a guide for the linear displacement of the armrest 9 relative to the armrest column 2.

[0016] A retaining plate 13 is arranged between the base support 11 and the support body 12 as a transmission, driver, or coupling element. In the assembled state, the retaining plate 13 rests against both the top side 14 of the base support 11 and the bottom side 15 of the support body 12 and is connected to the base support 11 and / or the support body 12 in such a way that it forms a moving unit with these two components.

[0017] The length of the holding plate 13 (seen in the longitudinal direction 21 of the armrest) is greater than the length of the guide slot 31, so that the holding plate 13 at least partially covers the guide slot 31 in all positions of these two components relative to one another.

[0018] In the center of the holding plate 13, spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction 21, two openings 34 are provided for receiving securing screws 32, which, for connecting the armrest 9 to the armrest column 2, connect the holding plate 13 to two sliding blocks 36, the necks 37 of which extend through the guide slot 31. In other words, the necks 37 lie in the guide slot 31 as guide elements.

[0019] The sliding blocks 36, which serve as guide or force transmission elements of the armrest 9 and are designed as guide pins, are parts of a rotary piece 23 of a pivot bearing 22 arranged in the armrest column 2, which provides the rotation mechanism required for the rotation of the armrest 9. In addition to the rotary piece 23, the pivot bearing 22 comprises means for supporting the rotary piece 23.

[0020] In the illustrated example, the circular-cylindrical rotating piece 23 rests in a correspondingly dimensioned bearing bush 24 designed to support and guide the rotating piece 23. The bearing bush 24 is cup-shaped with a base 25 and wall 26.

[0021] A dome-shaped, raised plain bearing point 38 is provided centrally in the base 25 of the bearing bush 24, which interacts with a plain bearing point 39 also provided centrally on the rotating piece 23. Additionally, the position of the rotating piece 23 in the bearing bush 24 is secured by means of a locking screw 33. For this purpose, the rotating piece 23 is provided centrally with an opening 35 through which the locking screw 33 can be passed and screwed into a threaded opening 41 provided in the center of the plain bearing point 38 of the bearing bush 24.

[0022] With regard to the use of the armrest 1, the location of the rotation axis 8 defined by the bearing points 38, 39 is offset from the central longitudinal axis 18 of the armrest column 2, which in the example shown here runs obliquely to the vertical, for ergonomic reasons.

[0023] The bearing bushing 24 or another suitable means for supporting the rotary piece 23 can be designed as an integrated part of the armrest column 2. For example, the bearing bushing 24 can be molded onto the armrest column 2 or connected to the armrest column 2 in another way as a single piece. However, the bearing bushing 24 or another suitable bearing means can also be designed as a separate component, as in the illustrated example. In this case, the bearing bushing 24 must be sufficiently firmly connected to the armrest column 2. In the example shown, the bearing bushing 24 is provided for this purpose with a mounting plate 27, which adjoins the bearing bushing 24 on one side and extends the base 25 of the bearing bushing 24 to one side. The mounting plate 27 has openings 28 for mounting screws 29, with which the rotary bearing 22 is connected to correspondingly designed connection points 30 of the armrest column 2.

[0024] In the assembled state, the bearing bush 24 rests with its underside 16 on the side opposite the mounting plate 27 on a support section 17 of the armrest column 2, which is provided by the widening of the outer sleeve 6. This ensures a particularly stable installation of the pivot bearing 22 in the armrest column 2.

[0025] The dome-shaped sliding blocks 36 are formed in one piece with the central part 19, which forms the plain bearing point 39 and also has the opening 35. This central part 19 lies in a designated receptacle in the base body 56 of the rotary piece 23. The sliding blocks 36 protrude vertically upward from this base body 56 into the end opening 7 of the outer sleeve 6.

[0026] The ends of the sliding blocks 36 extend beyond the edge 52 of the opening 7 of the armrest column 2 into the armrest 9, so that the rotating mechanism cannot be considered to be completely arranged in the interior 10 of the armrest column 2. Therefore, the rotating mechanism is correctly only "essentially completely" accommodated in the armrest column 2.

[0027] Since the bearing bush 24 is firmly connected to the armrest column 2, a linear displacement of the armrest 9 in the armrest longitudinal direction 21 is possible by moving the armrest 9, which is connected to the pivot bearing 22 via the holding plate 13 and the sliding blocks 36, in the armrest longitudinal direction 21 relative to the armrest column 2.

[0028] Independently of such a linear movement of the armrest 9, a rotation of the armrest 9 about the vertical axis of rotation 8 of the armrest 1, defined by the pivot bearing 22, is possible by moving the armrest 9 relative to the armrest column 2 when subjected to a force that does not act in the longitudinal direction 21 of the armrest. Both the linear movement and the rotational movement of the armrest 9 can be performed independently of one another, even simultaneously.

[0029] The edge 52 of the opening 7 defines a horizontal separation plane (in the Fig. 1 and 2indicated by a broken line), which separates an upper armrest assembly, comprising the armrest 9, and a lower armrest assembly, comprising the armrest column 2. The rotating mechanism, in this case the rotating bearing 22 with bearing bush 24 and rotating piece 23, is part of the lower armrest assembly, while the upper armrest assembly can be rotated relative to the lower armrest assembly by the rotating mechanism.

[0030] The rotary mechanism is a part of an assembly which is characterised in that neither this assembly as a whole nor parts of this assembly can perform lateral movements within a horizontal spatial plane; this assembly as a whole can perform neither a linear movement nor a rotary movement.

[0031] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, both the linear movement and the rotary movement of the armrest 9 can be controlled with suitable positioning or operating means.

[0032] Thus, with regard to the longitudinal adjustment of the armrest 9, it is preferably provided that the mounting plate 13 has a locking lug 42 which, in the assembled state, engages in locking recesses 43 provided on the base support 11 to form a locking mechanism, preferably a sliding locking mechanism with frictional engagement. The locking lug 42 serves as a locking block, and the locking recesses 43 serve as locking grooves that define a number of locking positions arranged in the longitudinal direction 21 of the armrest 9. With the resulting locking mechanism, which is force-locked on both sides, only an increased resistance to movement arises in the locking positions, which can be overcome by a correspondingly increased force. When moving with a uniform force, the armrest 9 therefore finds rest or locking positions in the respective positions.

[0033] The preferably self-resilient locking lug 42, in particular formed by a spring element, for example made of spring steel, is integrated into one of the longitudinal edges 20 of the holding plate 13, which for this purpose has a receiving opening 44 suitable for receiving the spring element. In the assembled state, the locking lug 42 protrudes from the holding plate 13 transversely to the longitudinal direction 21 of the armrest. The locking recesses 43 are arranged directly adjacent to one another at the level of the guide slot 31 on the upper side 14 of the base support 11, specifically in the form of a strip 45 lying parallel to the guide slot 31, in the example shown here as an integrated part of a strut on the upper side 14 of the base support. In an alternative embodiment, the locking lug 42 can also be formed integrally with the holding plate 13.

[0034] With regard to the rotational adjustment of the armrest 9, it is preferably provided to equip the inner side 46 of the wall 26 of the bearing bush 24 with corresponding locking recesses 47 along a wall segment corresponding to the intended angle of rotation and to attach a locking element 48 to the rotating piece 23. This locking element 48, when assembled, engages in the locking recesses 47 to form a locking mechanism, preferably a sliding locking mechanism with frictional engagement, as was also described with regard to the longitudinal adjustment. In this case, the locking element 48 is a spring-loaded locking cylinder made of a non-resilient material, which lies in a receiving pocket 50 formed on the outer side 49 of the rotating piece 23 in the rotating piece 22. The locking element 48 is pressed against the locking recesses 47 by means of a spring element 51, which is also located in the receiving pocket 50.Instead of such a combination of locking element 48 and spring element 51, a self-resilient locking element can also be provided for the locking device of the rotary adjustment.

[0035] For both locking devices, the number of locking positions can be selected according to the adjustment range. By selecting the appropriate material, the resistance to be overcome during adjustment and thus the strength of the haptic feedback, as well as the volume of the acoustic feedback, can be adjusted.

[0036] The maximum angle of rotation of the rotating piece 23 is determined by stops. For this purpose, a recess 53 is provided in the wall 26 of the bearing bush 25, into which a movement limiter 54 extends radially outward on the base body 56 of the rotating piece 23. When the maximum possible rotation is reached, the limiter 54 strikes the vertical edges 55 of the recess 53. List of reference symbols

[0037] 1 Armrest 2 Armrest column 3 Bearing head 4 Operating button 5 Armrest support 6 Outer sleeve 7 Opening 8 Pivot axis 9 Armrest 10 Interior 11 Base support 12 Support body 13 Holding plate 14 Top of base support 15 Bottom of support body 16 Bottom of bearing bush 17 Support section 18 Central longitudinal axis 19 Middle section of pivot piece 20 Longitudinal edge 21 Armrest longitudinal direction 22 Pivot bearing 23 Pivot piece 24 Bearing bush 25 Floor 26 Wall 27 Mounting plate 28 Opening 29 Mounting screw 30 Connection point 31 Guide slot 32 Locking screw 33 Locking screw 34 Opening 35 Opening 36 Slide block 37 Neck 38 Sliding bearing point 39 Sliding bearing point 40 Bottom of armrest 41Threaded opening 42Locking lug 43Locking recess 44Receptacle 45Bar 46Inside of wall 47Locking recess 48Locking element 49Outside of the rotating piece 50Receiving pocket 51Spring element 52Opening edge 53Recess 54Limiter 55Stop edge 56Base body

Claims

1. Armrest (1), in particular for an office chair, comprising an armrest column (2), and comprising an arm support (9) which is mounted on the armrest column (2) and is rotatable about a rotation axis (8) and which is linearly displaceable relative to the armrest column (2), wherein the rotary mechanism for the rotation of the arm support (9) is arranged substantially fully within the armrest column (2), wherein the arm support (9) is connected to the armrest column (2) in a linearly displaceable manner with the aid of a sliding block guide (31, 36), wherein the sliding block guide has a guide slot (31) provided on the bottom side (40) of the arm support (9) and has two simultaneously acting guide elements (36) reaching through the guide slot (31), wherein the rotary mechanism comprises a rotary bearing (22), and the number of guide elements (36) of the sliding block guide are fastened to a rotary piece (23) of the rotary bearing (22).

2. Armrest (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotary mechanism for the rotation of the arm support (9) is arranged substantially fully within an interior of the armrest column (2), which interior (10) is closed by the arm support (9) in the manner of a cap.

3. Armrest (1) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, - wherein the arm support (9) comprises a mount (11) and a support body (12), which support body (12) is connected, preferably detachably, to the mount (11), - wherein in the mount (11) a guide slot (31) is provided, which guide slot (31) is running in the arm support longitudinal direction (21), and - wherein a holding plate (13) is arranged between the mount (11) and the support body (12), which holding plate (13) forms a motion unit with the mount (11) and / or with the support body (12).

4. Armrest (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the holding plate (13) at least partially covers the guide slot (31).

5. Armrest (1) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the arm support (9) rests on the rim (52) of the opening (7) of the armrest column (2).

6. Chair, in particular an office chair, comprising an armrest (1) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5.