Armrest device

Abstract

To disclose a structure having excellent usability in a movable armrest device.SOLUTION: Elbow rests (an upper arm 20, an elbow pad 21) swing from a front-facing posture to an inclined inward posture while moving inward as a whole by a guide action of a lower arm 19 and an auxiliary link 22. Thereby, the elbow rests (20, 21) move in one action to a position for allowing a seated person to put his / her elbow thereon in a state of fastening the upper arm (a state of naturally hanging). Accordingly, the seated person can quickly take a posture allowing operation of a keyboard or the like without imposing a burden on his / her body. The elbow rests (the upper arm 20, the elbow pad 21) are connected to a receiving plate 39 so as to freely slide forward / backward and a front / back position can be adjusted according to a relation with a desk or the like.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an armrest device having a movable armrest. [Background technology]

[0002] Chair armrest devices come in two types: one with a fixed armrest and one with a movable armrest, and in the case of the movable armrest, various movements are given to the armrest, such as moving back and forth, moving left and right, rotating horizontally, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a link that can rotate up and down is attached to a base body fixed to a chair so as to rotate horizontally, and an armrest is attached to the tip (upper end) of the link so as to rotate horizontally and move back and forth. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2015-529144 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Now, armrest devices are sometimes used simply for seated persons to rest their arms, but in the case of office chairs, they are often used to reduce fatigue in the body (arms) by resting the elbows on them when operating a personal computer (operating the keyboard or mouse) placed on the desk. In other words, armrest devices are often used during office work.

[0005] So, in terms of arm posture when operating a computer, since the upper arm (upper arm) hangs down from the shoulder, it puts the least strain on the body when it is allowed to hang down naturally due to gravity (hanging down position), but since the forearm is facing the desk in order to work, it can be said that the least strain on the body is when the armpits are close, the upper arm (upper arm) is pressed against the torso, and the elbow is resting on the elbow pad.

[0006] On the other hand, when not in use, armrests are normally positioned on the outside left and right sides of the seat in a plan view to make it easier to sit down and get up from the seat; however, the left and right width of the seat and backrest is set to a dimension slightly larger than a person's shoulder width, so when a person sits with their elbows close to their sides and places their elbows on the armrests, it is necessary to shift the position of the armrests entirely toward the seat, or to rotate them horizontally inward toward the seat, or both.

[0007] In this regard, in Patent Document 1, the link is rotated horizontally to move the elbow rest toward the seat, while the elbow rest is rotated horizontally relative to the upper end of the link, thereby changing the position and posture of the elbow rest so that the elbow rests in a natural state.More specifically, in Patent Document 1, the seated person grasps the elbow rest and pulls it entirely toward the seat to rotate the link horizontally, while rotating the elbow rest horizontally so that its front end faces inward, changing the position and posture of the elbow rest to the desired one.

[0008] In consideration of this, while Patent Document 1 allows the armrest to be set to a desired position and posture, the seated person must perform two separate movements (two actions) of rotating the link and rotating the armrest, making the task cumbersome.In addition, because both the link and the armrest can be rotated arbitrarily within their rotation limits, there is no guarantee that the armrest will be automatically guided to the optimal position and posture, and there is concern that fine adjustments will be time-consuming or that the armrest will be used in a non-optimal position and posture.

[0009] The present invention has been made against this background, and aims to disclose a configuration that allows the elbow rest to be easily set in an appropriate position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention includes various configurations, typical examples of which are specified in each claim. Among these, the invention in claim 1 is a generic concept, "The armrests are attached to a base body that is fixed to the chair body so that they can move inwardly to the left and right as a whole and rotate diagonally inward." The structure is as follows.

[0011] The invention of claim 2 is an example of the development of claim 1, "The armrest is attached to an intermediate support so as to be movable forward and backward, and the intermediate support is attached to the base body so as to be able to move horizontally while moving inwardly to the left and right as a whole." The structure is as follows.

[0012] The invention of claim 3 is the same as claim 1 or 2, "The guide means for moving the armrest inwardly to the left and right as a whole and rotating it to a diagonally inward position is composed of a link or a long hole, or a combination of both." The structure is as follows.

[0013] The invention of claim 4 is the same as claim 3, "The base body is in the form of a horizontal plate, and when the armrest is moved inward, the base body is partially exposed." The structure is as follows.

[0014] The invention of claim 5 is the same as claim 1, "A lower arm is attached to the base body provided at the upper end of the elbow support so as to rotate horizontally with its rear part as a fulcrum, and an intermediate support is attached to the front end of the lower arm so as to rotate horizontally. The horizontal rotation of the lower arm and the horizontal rotation of the intermediate support are linked by an auxiliary link, so that the elbow rest as a whole moves inward to the left and right and rotates diagonally inward." The structure is as follows.

[0015] The invention of claim 6 is the same as claim 5, "The elbow rest is attached to the intermediate support so that its position can be adjusted forward and backward." The structure is as follows. Effect of the Invention

[0016] In the present invention, the horizontal movement and horizontal rotation of the elbow rest are performed in a series, and the elbow rest automatically transitions to a position where the seated person can rest their elbows on with their arms close to their sides. In other words, the elbow rest can be shifted to a position where the person can operate a computer in a comfortable position with a single action. In addition, the elbow rest can be pushed outward and returned to its initial position by spreading the arm with the elbows on it, making it easy to use.

[0017] When using a computer on a desk, the distance between the chair and the desk is not necessarily constant, and the way the arms are extended may vary, so the front-to-back position of the elbows may differ depending on the situation even for one person, and since the length of the arms of seated people varies from person to person, the optimal position of the elbows may change depending on the user. In this regard, by adopting the configurations of claims 2 and 6, the elbow rests can be adjusted to an appropriate front-to-back position depending on the usage situation of the chair and differences in physique, etc. Therefore, it is highly versatile.

[0018] There are various methods that can be used for the swing mechanism that moves the armrest horizontally and rotates in a series, but using a link or a long hole as in claim 3 allows for smooth movement with a simple structure. In particular, when applied to a horizontal plate-shaped base body as in claim 4, there is an advantage that the height of the mechanism can be lowered to make it more compact.

[0019] By adopting the method of claim 5 as a mechanism for performing horizontal movement and horizontal rotation of the elbow rest in a series, the base body to which the lower arm is attached can be a pillar-shaped body, so the base body can be made compact. Also, because the lower arm is connected to the upper end of the base body and the elbow rest is connected to the upper end of the lower arm, there is no risk of a person's fingers being pinched by the rotation of the lower arm or the elbow rest, and therefore there is no safety problem. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment, in which (A) is a front perspective view of a chair, (B) is a rear perspective view of the chair, (C) is a plan view of the chair, and (D) is a side view of the chair. [Diagram 2]1A is an exploded perspective view seen from above, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view seen from below. [Diagram 3] 2A is a plan view showing the separated state, and FIG. 2B is a plan view showing the state rotated inward as viewed from the direction of IIIA-IIIA in FIG. 2A. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3(A). [Diagram 5] 3(A) is a cross-sectional view taken from the VV direction of FIG. [Figure 6] 1A is a plan view of the neutral state before being rotated inward, and FIG. 1B is a plan view of the state after being rotated inward. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 shows a second embodiment, in which (A) is an overall perspective view, (B) is an exploded perspective view seen from above the front, and (B) is a partially exploded perspective view seen from above the rear. [Figure 8] 1A is a perspective view seen from the lower front, FIG. 1B is a perspective view seen from the lower front with some members omitted, and FIG. 1C is an exploded perspective view of the rotation mechanism. [Figure 9] 1A is an exploded plan view in which the pads are omitted, and FIG. 1B is an exploded plan view of the members constituting the rotation mechanism (guide means). [Figure 10] 1A is a plan view of the pivot mechanism in an inwardly pivoted state, FIG. 1B is a partially separated perspective view, and FIG. 1C is a plan view for explaining the adjustment of the front-rear position of the elbow rest. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the terms front, back, left and right are used to specify directions, but these directions are defined as viewed from a person normally sitting on a chair. The front viewing direction is the direction facing the seated person. The terms inside and outside are also used, but inside refers to the direction facing the seat (towards the seated person) in the left and right directions, and outside refers to the direction facing the outside of the seat (away from the seated person) in the left and right directions. For confirmation, the directions are clearly shown in Figure 3(B), Figure 6, etc.

[0022] (1) Overview of the chair First, an overview of the chair will be described. This embodiment is applied to a swivel chair for office use. As shown in Fig. 1, the chair has a leg device 1, a seat 2, and a backrest 3 as basic elements. The leg device 1 has a structure in which a leg support 4 made of a gas cylinder is erected in the center of a base having five leg blades, and a caster is provided at the tip of each leg blade.

[0023] 1(A) and (D), a support member 5 is fixed to the upper end of the leg support 4, and the lower tips of left and right side tilting frames 6 are connected to the support member 5. The side tilting frame 6 has a rearward-facing part 6a extending rearward from the support member 5 and an upward-facing part 6b continuing from the rear end thereof. An armrest device 7 is fixed to the rearward-facing part 6a of the side tilting frame 6.

[0024] As can be seen from Fig. 1(B), in this embodiment, the backrest 3 has a lower back frame 8 and an upper back frame 9 connected to its upper end so as to be tiltable forward and backward, and a back panel 10 made of an elastic plate such as elastomer is stretched on the front surface of the frame body consisting of the upper and lower back frames 8, 9. The front surface of the back panel 10 is covered with upholstery such as cloth.

[0025] The lower back frame 8 shares the upwardly facing portion 6b of the side tilting frame 6, and is formed into an upwardly opening U-shaped lower back frame 8 by connecting the lower parts of the upwardly facing portion 6b with the left and right longitudinal joint bars 6c. The upper back frame 9 and the upper back frame 8 are roughly rectangular with openings on the front and back, and a top rest 12 that supports the head and neck of the seated person is attached to the upper member 11 that forms the upper end.

[0026] The lower member 13 of the upper back frame 9 is connected to the upper end of the center tilting frame 14, and the lower front end of the center tilting frame 14 is connected to the rear end of the support member 5 so as to be able to tilt backward. When a seated person leans against the backrest 3, the upper back frame 9 tilts forward relative to the upper back frame 9 because the degree of backward tilt of the side tilting frames 6 and the degree of backward tilt of the center tilting frame 14 differ.

[0027] (2) Overview of the armrest device Next, the armrest device 7 will be described with reference to Figure 2 and subsequent figures. As shown in Figures 2(A) and (B), the armrest device 7 has, as a support section, a cylindrical fixed column 16, a movable column 17 fitted into the fixed column from the outside, and a circular base body 18 fixed to the upper end of the movable column 17. A lower arm 19 extending in the front-rear direction constituting a rotation mechanism is connected to the base body 18 so as to rotate horizontally with its rear part as a fulcrum, and an upper arm 20 extending in the front-rear direction is connected to the tip of the lower arm 19 so as to be horizontally rotatable and movable forward and backward, and an elbow pad (elbow rest) 21 is attached to the upper arm 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, the upper arm 20 and the elbow pad 21 form an elbow rest.

[0028] Furthermore, the lower arm 19 and the upper arm 20 are connected by a longitudinal auxiliary link 22 whose rear end is connected to the base body 18, and by the upper arm 20 and the lower arm 19 interlocking via the auxiliary link 22, the upper arm 20 moves inward as a whole while rotating inward toward the seat 2, as shown in FIG. 6 (also see FIG. 3(B)). In other words, it swings inward toward the top of the seat 2. Each part will be described in detail below.

[0029] 2, a bracket portion 23 is integrally formed at the lower end of the fixed support 16. The bracket portion 23 is fixed with a bolt to the rearward portion 6a of the side tilting frame 6 shown in Fig. 1. A notch 24 is formed at the lower portion of the movable support 17 to avoid interference with the bracket portion 23.

[0030] The movable column 17 is attached to the fixed column 16 so that it can be raised and lowered, and the height of the movable column 17 can be adjusted by operating a lever (not shown) to release the lock. For this reason, a multi-stage engagement part is provided on the movable column 17 or the fixed column 16, and a locking body that engages and disengages with the engagement part is attached inside the movable column 17, and the height of the movable column 17 can be adjusted by operating the lever to move the locking body in a direction away from the engagement part.

[0031] 2, the lower arm 19 has a bottom plate and side walls and is shaped like a trough that opens upward, and as shown in Fig. 1(D), it is inclined at a slight angle so that it becomes higher as it approaches the tip (front end). The bottom plate of the base end (rear end) of the lower arm 19 is connected to the base body 18 via a pressing member 25 so as to be unable to come off and to be freely rotatable horizontally.

[0032] In Figures 2(A) and (B), the pressing member 25 is shown connected to the base body 18, but in reality, as shown in Figure 4, a boss portion 18a is formed integrally with the base body 18, into which the rear end of the bottom plate of the lower arm 19 is fitted, and the pressing member 25 is pressed and fixed to the boss portion 18a with a screw 26.

[0033] In this case, a step portion (different diameter portion) 27 that fits into the boss portion 18a and the pressing member 25 is formed, and when the step portions 27 of both are overlapped, a very small gap is set between the pressing member 25 and the inner bottom surface of the lower arm 19, thereby holding the lower arm 19 so that it can rotate horizontally and cannot be removed upward. Therefore, the pressing member 25 is held so that it cannot rotate horizontally relative to the base body 18. The fixed support 16 and the movable support 17 are made of metal such as aluminum die-cast products, and the base body 18 and the pressing member 25 are also made of metal such as brass die-cast products.

[0034] For example, as shown in FIG. 1(D), the support columns 16 and 17 of the armrest device 7 are slightly tilted forward, but as shown in FIG. 3, the boss portion 18a of the base body 18 is vertical and the board is horizontal. Therefore, the upper end surface of the movable support column 17 is formed horizontally. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper end of the movable support column 17 is a large-diameter support portion 17a, and the base body 18 is formed with a plurality of legs 28 that fit into the support portion 17a. Although not shown, the support portion 17a has a plurality of vertical ribs formed inside it for fixing the board of the base body 18 with screws (not shown). As shown in FIG. 2(A), the board of the base body 18 has a plurality of (four) screw insertion holes 29.

[0035] (3) Rotation mechanism The tip of the lower arm 19 is formed with an upward frame portion 31 that is C-shaped in a plan view, and a land portion 32 is provided on the inner periphery of the upward frame portion 31 with a certain amount of step-down, and a circular support shaft 33 is provided integrally with the inner part of the land portion 32. The land portion 32 is formed with an indentation 34 that continues into the gutter-shaped space of the lower arm 19. The lower arm 19 is a die-cast product made of metal such as aluminum or a molded product made of resin, and therefore the indentation 34 is formed to save material and improve molding accuracy, but it may be formed with a wide area without the indentation 34.

[0036] The auxiliary link 22 is basically in the form of a plate, and is disposed inside the lower arm 19 so as to be offset slightly toward the outside, with its base end (rear end) connected to a pivot pin 35 protruding upward from the retaining member 25. As shown in Fig. 3(B), the pivot pin 35 is disposed at an outer portion of the rotation axis of the lower arm 19. Note that, although the figure shows the auxiliary link 22 simply fitted into the pivot pin 35, the auxiliary link 22 is held so as not to come off by a screw screwed into the pivot pin 35, or by providing a male threaded portion on the pivot pin 35 and screwing a nut into it, etc.

[0037] The tip (front end) of the auxiliary link 22 extends to the entrance portion inside the upward frame portion 31, and an upward protrusion 36 is provided at the tip of the auxiliary link 22, and an upward positioning pin 38 is provided on an outward protrusion 37 provided on the upward protrusion 36. Therefore, the positioning pin 38 is located behind and outside the support shaft 33. Also, the positioning pin 38 is disposed inside the area surrounded by the upward frame portion 31.

[0038] 3(A), in the neutral state where the elbow pad 21 faces directly forward, the longitudinal center line O2 of the auxiliary link 22 is approximately parallel to the longitudinal center line O1 of the lower arm 19, and the support shaft 33 and the positioning pin 38 are located on either side of the longitudinal center line O1 of the lower arm 19. In addition, the tip of the overhanging portion 37 of the auxiliary link 22 is located above the land portion 32.

[0039] A receiving plate 39 as an example of an intermediate support is placed on the upward frame portion 31 of the lower arm 19, and the support shaft 33 and the positioning pin 38 are fitted into the receiving plate 39 from below. Therefore, the receiving plate 39 is formed with a receiving hole into which the support shaft 33 fits and a positioning hole 39a into which the positioning pin 38 fits. The receiving plate 39 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape that is substantially the same as the outer shape of the upward frame portion 31. And, as shown in Figures 2(B) and 4, a downward cylindrical portion 40 that reaches the land portion 32 of the upward frame portion 31 is formed on the underside of the receiving plate 39.

[0040] Therefore, the receiving plate 39 can rotate horizontally along the upper surface of the upward frame portion 31 with the support shaft 33 as a fulcrum due to a change in the posture of the auxiliary link 22. As shown in Fig. 5, the receiving plate 39 is held by the support shaft 33 with a retaining plate 41 and a screw 42 so as to be rotatable without coming off.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 2(A), the upper arm 20 has a bottom plate and peripheral walls and is in the form of a tray that opens upward, but as shown in Fig. 2(B) and Fig. 4, a guide recess 43 long in the front-rear direction is formed on the underside of the bottom plate of the upper arm 20, into which the receiving plate 39 fits without any rattle. Therefore, the upper arm 20 is capable of horizontal rotation together with the receiving plate 39, and is also capable of sliding back and forth while being guided by the receiving plate 39.

[0042] A long guide hole 44 is formed in the bottom plate of the upper arm 20, and an upward-facing guide frame 45 is formed surrounding the long guide hole 44. A slider 46 having approximately the same front-to-rear width as the receiving plate 39 is disposed on the guide frame 45, and as shown in Fig. 4, the slider 46 is fixed to the receiving plate 39 with a screw 48 via a collar 47. A step 49 is formed in the slider 46 where the head of the screw 48 overlaps, and a small gap is set between the underside of the slider 46 and the bottom plate of the receiving plate 39.

[0043] The slider 46 is made of synthetic resin and serves to prevent the upper arm 20 from coming off, and is provided at its tip with a pair of left and right forward engaging claws 50 with the free ends at the tips, which abut against the inner surface of the guide frame 45. Although not shown in the drawings, the inner surface of the guide frame 45 is formed with unevenness such as a corrugated or sawtooth shape in plan view, and the engaging claws 50 fit into the recesses of the unevenness to hold the upper arm 20 in the fore-aft position.

[0044] Furthermore, when a certain amount of force is applied to the elbow pad 21 in the front-rear direction, the forward engaging claw 50 elastically deforms, allowing the upper arm 20 to move forward or backward. The forward engaging claw 50 and the unevenness are one example of a means for maintaining the front-rear position of the upper arm 20 (and the elbow pad 21), but other structures of means for maintaining the front-rear position can also be used.

[0045] As shown in Figures 2(B) and 4, the underside of elbow pad 21 is formed with a downward recess 51 into which upper arm 20 fits from below. Elbow pad 21 is made of elastomer, for example, and is attached to upper arm 20 by elastic deformation. It is preferable to provide an engagement part on elbow pad 21 and upper arm 20 to prevent them from coming off. Elbow pad 21 is in the shape of a cap that opens downward, but it is also possible to provide a rib (foot member) 20a that abuts against upper arm 20, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 4.

[0046] (4) Summary of the First Embodiment In the above configuration, in the neutral position with the elbow pad 21 facing directly forward, the elbow pad 21 (elbow rest) and the lower arm 19 are positioned outside the seat 2, so that the elbow pad 21 etc. do not get in the way when a person sits down or gets up from the seat.

[0047] On the other hand, when a person is seated and the upper arm 20 is rotated horizontally inward as shown in Fig. 3(B), the lower arm 19 rotates horizontally with the boss portion 18a of the base body 18 as a fulcrum, but the receiving plate 39 rotates horizontally inward relative to the lower arm 19, so that the upper arm 20 and the elbow pad 21 move inward as a whole while rotating inward together with the lower arm 19. In other words, they swing so as to overlap with the seat 2 in a plan view.

[0048] Furthermore, since the pivot pin 35 of the auxiliary link 22 is offset inward or outward relative to the longitudinal center line O1 of the lower arm 19 and the pivot pin 35 of the auxiliary link 22 is located rearward of the pivot pin 33, when the lower arm 19 rotates horizontally inward, the receiving plate 39 moves inward as a whole, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 3(B), while its outer portion is pushed forward by the auxiliary link 22, and rotates horizontally relative to the lower arm 19.

[0049] In the neutral state, the longitudinal center line O1 of the lower arm 19 and the front-to-rear longitudinal center line O3 of the receiving plate 39 overlap, but if the line connecting the support shaft 33 and the pivot pin 35 is O4, when the lower arm 19 rotates inward, the angle between O1 and O3 changes from θ1 to θ2, and O4 moves inward and assumes an intersecting position with O4.

[0050] Therefore, the seated person can move the elbow pad 21 to a position and posture where the elbow can be rested with one action while keeping the armpits close. In addition, since the elbow pad 21 is adjustable in its front-rear position, the front-rear position of the elbow pad 21 can be adjusted according to the distance from the desk. Therefore, the person can operate the keyboard or mouse on the desk by resting the elbow on the elbow pad 21 with the upper arms naturally hanging down from the shoulders. In other words, when a person keeps the armpits close and the upper arms naturally hanging down, the elbows are located on the seat, but the elbow pad 21 can be moved to a position where the elbows can be rested without putting strain on the body by letting the arms hang naturally down, allowing the person to operate the keyboard or mouse.

[0051] If a seated person's sides are wide, they are more likely to lean forward and hunch back, and to put unnecessary strain on their arms, which can lead to poor posture and problems such as poor circulation and stiff shoulders. However, in this embodiment, the seated person can operate a keyboard, etc. in a natural position with their sides tucked in, allowing them to naturally maintain an upright posture, preventing problems caused by poor posture.

[0052] In the embodiment, the auxiliary link 22 is hidden inside the lower arm 19, and the receiving plate 39 is hidden inside the upper arm 20, resulting in a simple design with excellent aesthetics. Also, in the embodiment, the receiving plate 39 rotates inward at an angle smaller than that of the upper arm 20, but it is also possible to rotate it inward at the same angle as the lower arm 19 (translate it in parallel), or conversely, to rotate it inward at an angle larger than that of the lower arm 19.

[0053] (5) Second embodiment Next, the second embodiment shown in Figures 7 to 10 will be described. The second embodiment also has a height-adjustable structure like the first embodiment. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the elbow support has a hollow rectangular movable support 17 and a fixed support 16 arranged inside the movable support 17, and a bracket part 23 is provided on the fixed support 16. An elongated hole 54 is formed in the inner plate of the movable support 17 to expose the base of the bracket part 23. As explained in the first embodiment, the movable support 17 has a height adjustment mechanism such as a lever. In Figure 8(B), the members constituting the height adjustment mechanism are partially shown.

[0054] At the upper end of the movable support column 17, a support part 17a, which is generally horseshoe-shaped in plan view and spreads out upward, is formed, and a plate-shaped base body 18 is fitted into the support part 17a and fixed with a screw (not shown). A screw insertion hole 55 is formed in the base body 18, and a nut member 56 is provided on the support part 17a.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 7, in this embodiment, the rotation mechanism includes an intermediate plate 57 as an intermediate support, a front link plate (main link plate) 58 and a rear link plate (auxiliary link plate) 59 overlapping the intermediate plate 57 from above. A lid member 60 is overlapped and fixed onto the intermediate plate 57 while allowing the link plates 58, 59 to move, and an elbow pad 21 is attached to the lid member 60 with a cover plate 61 sandwiched between them. The intermediate plate 57 and the elbow pad 21 protrude forward significantly from the supports 16, 17.

[0056] The cover plate 61 is intended to hide the link plates 58, 59 etc. when the elbow pad 21 is rotated inward and to prevent fingers from being pinched when the elbow pad 21 is rotated back, and as shown in Figure 10(B), the downward lip 61a is provided on the outer edge and fixed to the outer edge of the support part 17a of the base body 18 or the movable support column 17. The lid member 60 is formed with a relief recess 75 to prevent interference with the cover plate 61.

[0057] 10(A) shows a state in which the cover plate 61 is disposed inside the support portion 17a, but the cover plate 61 may be fixed to the upper surface of the support portion 17a. The lid member 60 is integrated with the intermediate plate 57 to form an intermediate support body.

[0058] A bearing portion 62 is formed at the rear end of the base body 18, and a first arc-shaped long hole 63 and a second arc-shaped long hole 64, which are recessed rearward in a plan view, are formed at a portion closer to the front and rear and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. The first arc-shaped long hole 63 located at the rear is wide and close to the left-right width of the base body 18, but the second arc-shaped long hole 64 located at the front is formed closer to the outside of the base body 18.

[0059] Both of the long holes 63, 64 are concave toward the rear when viewed in a plane, but the first arc-shaped long hole 63 is inclined so that it shifts backward as it goes inward, while the second arc-shaped long hole 64 is inclined so that it shifts forward as it goes inward. Therefore, the distance between the first arc-shaped long hole 63 and the second arc-shaped long hole 64 widens as it goes inward, and does not match the radius of curvature with the bearing portion 62 as the fulcrum.

[0060] The intermediate plate 57 moves inwardly and rotates inwardly relative to the base body 18, and a third arc-shaped long hole 65 that is recessed toward the front in a plan view is formed in a rear portion near the outside. The rear link plate 59 is roughly rectangular, but inclined so as to shift outward as it moves forward in the neutral state, and a third slide pin 66 provided at the corner of the rear end passes through the third arc-shaped long hole 65 of the intermediate plate 57 and is connected to the bearing portion 62 of the base body 18. As shown by a black circle in Fig. 9(B) , the third slide pin 66 is located at the inner end of the third arc-shaped long hole 65 in the neutral state.

[0061] Further, a first pivot pin 67 protrudes downward from the front end of the rear link plate 59 and fits into a first pivot hole 68 provided in the intermediate plate 57. Therefore, the rear link plate 59 rotates relative to the intermediate plate 57 around the first pivot hole 68, and also rotates around the bearing portion 62. The first pivot hole 68 is located on the longitudinal center line O5 of the intermediate plate 57, and the third arc-shaped long hole 65 spreads out as an arc centered on the first pivot hole 68. The third arc-shaped long hole 65 is an escape hole for allowing the movement of the third slide pin 66, and does not need to be in the form of a long hole, but a long hole form is adopted in terms of strength.

[0062] A first slide pin 69 fitted into the first arc-shaped long hole 63 protrudes downward from the underside of the inner edge of the intermediate plate 57, slightly forward of the first pivot support hole 68. Therefore, the intermediate plate 57 can rotate and move inward by the guiding action of the first arc-shaped long hole 63 and the third arc-shaped long hole 65. In the neutral state, the first slide pin 69 is located at the outer end of the first arc-shaped long hole 63, as shown by a black circle in Figure 9(B).

[0063] The front link plate 58 is long in the front-rear direction, and a second pivot pin 70 is provided at a portion near the rear end and at the outer edge thereof so as to protrude downward, and the second pivot pin 70 is fitted into a second pivot hole 71 of the intermediate plate 57. A second slide pin 72 is provided at the rear end and at the outer edge of the front link plate 58 so as to protrude downward, and the second slide pin 72 is fitted into a second arc-shaped long hole 64 of the base body 18. A notch 73 is formed at the outer edge of the intermediate plate 57 to prevent interference with the second slide pin 72. As shown by a black circle in FIG. 9B, the second slide pin 72 is located at the outer end of the second arc-shaped long hole 64 in the neutral state.

[0064] In this embodiment, the arcuate slots 63, 64, 65, the slide pins 66, 69, 72, and the pivot pins 67, 70 constitute a guide means as defined in the claims.

[0065] An upward rib 74 is formed on the outer periphery of the intermediate plate 57, except for the front part and the outer end part, and the cover member 60 is fixed to the intermediate plate 57 in a state where it overlaps the rib 74. Therefore, the rotation of the link plates 58, 59 is not hindered. For example, as shown in FIG. 10(A), the rib 74 of the intermediate plate 57 is largely cut away at the outer edge. Therefore, the rotation of the link plates 58, 59 is permitted and there is no interference with the cover plate 61. The inner edge of the cover plate 61 is an inclined surface 76 that approaches the outside toward the rear. This is in accordance with the posture of the outer edge of the intermediate plate 57 when it is rotated inward. As shown in FIG. 10(B)(C), the inner part of the relief recess 75 in the cover member 60 is also an inclined surface 76.

[0066] (6) Summary of the second embodiment In the second embodiment, in the neutral state with the elbow pad 21 facing directly ahead, the longitudinal center line O6 of the base body 18 and the longitudinal center line O5 of the intermediate plate 57 overlap in a plan view. When the seated occupant applies an inward force to the elbow pad 21, the link plates 58, 59 rotate and the slide pins 66, 69, 72 move in the arc-shaped elongated holes 63, 64, 65, so that the intermediate plate 57 (and elbow pad 21) moves inward as a whole and diagonally inwards, as shown in Figure 10(A).

[0067] That is, as shown by the black and white circles in Figure 9 (B), the link plates 58, 59 rotate, the third slide pin 66 moves relatively from the inner end to the outer end of the third arc-long hole 65, the first slide pin 69 moves from the outer end to the inner end of the first arc-long hole 63, and the second slide pin 72 moves from the outer end to the inner end of the second arc-long hole 64, so that the intermediate plate 57 moves inward as a whole while rotating inward with the third slide pin 66 as a fulcrum.

[0068] Therefore, similar to the first embodiment, the elbow pad 21 can be moved with one action to a position on which a person can rest their elbow with their upper arm naturally hanging down. In this embodiment, the rear link plate 59 moves and rotates inward while moving slightly backward. As in the first embodiment, it can also be moved back and forth along the longitudinal direction of the intermediate plate 57.

[0069] In the second embodiment, the rotation mechanism is formed by the overlapping base body 18, intermediate plate 57, and link plates 58, 59, so that the entire portion excluding the elbow supports 16, 17 can be made thinner.

[0070] In the second embodiment, to ensure the function of swinging the elbow pad 21 inward, only the rear link plate 59 is sufficient, but as shown in Figure 10(A), the elbow pad 21 protrudes significantly from the support portion 17a of the elbow support 17, so there is a risk that the support strength cannot be ensured by the rear link 59 alone. In this regard, if a front link plate 58 is provided as an auxiliary link plate as in the embodiment, high support strength can be ensured.

[0071] It is also possible to connect the link plates 58, 59 to the underside of the cover member 60 (or the underside of the elbow pad 21) without using the intermediate plate 57, but in this case, the assembly work becomes troublesome. In this regard, if the intermediate plate 57 is used as in the embodiment, the link plates 58, 59 are located on the upper surface of the intermediate plate 57, making assembly easy. As described above, if the cover plate 61 is used, the link plates 58, 59 and the long holes 63-65 are not visible when the elbow pad 21 is swung inward, which improves the appearance and prevents a person's fingers from getting pinched when rotating the elbow pad 21 back.

[0072] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in various other ways. The elbow pad may have a structure that does not allow for adjustment of forward and backward movement. In this case, the intermediate support and the elbow pad can be integrated. The present invention can also be applied to an armrest device in which the elbow pad does not rise and fall. Each component, such as the base body and intermediate support, can adopt various forms according to design requirements.

[0073] The chairs to which this is applicable are not limited to swivel chairs, but can also be used with non-swivel chairs such as those with fixed legs. It is also suitable for gaming chairs where the user operates the controller with both hands while seated. Various mechanisms can be used to swing the armrests, such as using cams. It is also possible to configure the armrests with only multiple long holes and slide pins that fit into these holes. [Industrial Applicability]

[0074] The present invention can be embodied in a chair armrest device, and is therefore industrially applicable. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 leg device 2nd seat 3. Backrest 6 Side tilting frame 7 Armrest device 16 Fixed post 17 Movable strut 18 Base body 19 Lower Arm 20 Upper arm that constitutes the hanger 21 Elbow pads that make up the armrest 22 Auxiliary link as an example of a moving member 31 Upward frame section 32 Land Department 33 Spindle 35 Pivot pin 38 Locating pin 39 Backing plate as an example of intermediate support 43 Guide recess 44 Guide slot 45 Guide frame 46 Slider 57 Intermediate plate as intermediate support 58, 59 Link plate constituting the guide means 60 Lid member 61 Guide plate 62 Bearing 63 First circular arc slot constituting the guide means 64 Second circular arc slot constituting guide means 65 Third circular arc slot constituting the guide means 66 Third slide pin constituting the guide means 67 First support pin constituting the guide means 68 First bearing hole 69 First slide pin constituting the guide means 70 Second support pin constituting the guide means 71 Second shaft support hole 72 Second slide pin constituting the guide means

Claims

1. The armrest is attached to a base body fixed to the chair body so that the armrest can move inwardly to the left and right as a whole and rotate in a diagonally inward position. Armrest device.

2. The armrest is attached to an intermediate support so as to be movable forward and backward, and the intermediate support is attached to the base body so as to move inwardly to the left and right as a whole and rotate horizontally.

2. An armrest device as claimed in claim 1.

3. The guide means for rotating the elbow rest to a diagonally inward position while moving the elbow rest inward to the left and right as a whole is composed of a link, a long hole, or a combination of both. An armrest device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The base body is in the form of a horizontal plate, and when the armrest is moved inward, the base body is partially exposed. An armrest device as claimed in claim 3.

5. A lower arm is attached to the base body provided at the upper end of the elbow support so as to rotate horizontally with its rear part as a fulcrum, and an intermediate support is attached to the front end of the lower arm so as to rotate horizontally. The horizontal rotation of the lower arm and the horizontal rotation of the intermediate support are linked by an auxiliary link, so that the elbow rest moves inwardly to the left and right as a whole and rotates diagonally inwardly.

2. An armrest device as claimed in claim 1.

6. The elbow rest is attached to the intermediate support so that its front-rear position can be adjusted. An armrest device as claimed in claim 5.

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