GB2110925A

GB2110925A - Seat with retractable elbow-rest

Info

Publication number: GB2110925A
Application number: GB08136633A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexandre Paul Louis Quercy
Original assignee: Chausson Usines SA
Current assignee: Chausson Usines SA
Priority date: 1980-10-02
Filing date: 1981-12-04
Publication date: 1983-06-29
Also published as: BE891304A; FR2491312A1; CH644744A5; ATA524981A; DE3149817A1; LU83811A1; AT381013B; FR2491312B1; NL8105462A; GB2110925B

Abstract

Seat portion 1 and back 2 of the seat support laterally retaining spindles 6, 7 to which the respective ends of a resilient blade 5 are connected so that the blade is maintained in compression between the two spindles so that it buckles and defines either a convex curvatuve 5 or a concave curvature 5a according to whether it is brought to one or the other of two configurations by acting on it by traction or pressure to bring an elbow-rest 5 into its in use or its retracted position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Seat with retractable elbow rest The present invention relates to a novel seat with retractable elbow-rest which, when being realized, is such that the elbow-rest can be easily retracted without having to previously carry out a disassemb ling operation, nor a loosening of any member.

Moreover, the elbow-rest according to the invention, when used on seats with reclinable back, has its curvature changed and adapted to the inclination of the back of the seat without having to provide several elbow-rest sections articulated together as is Be case with elbow-rests known so far.

According to the invention, the seat with retractable elbow-rest is characterized in that both the seating and the back of the seat support laterally a retaining spindle of an end of a resilient flexible blade maintained under compression between the two spindles so that it buckles by defining either a convex curvature or a concave curvature according to whether it is brought to one or the other of two configurations by acting on it by pressure or traction.

Various other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

An embodiment of the invention is shown as a non limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of a seat carrying out the invention.

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged diagrammatical perspective view illustrating a detail of embodiment.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates the seating portion of a seat and 2 the back of the seat. The seating and the back of the seat are connected together by an articulation mechanism 3 the axis of which is designated at 4. A control mecharn with a handle or a button, or of any other mode oltreatlzation known in the art, is normally provided for pivoting the back 2 relative to the seating X The mechanisms of this type being known ime art, and their contruction not being comprised wiffitrt the scope of the invention, they arse not described more in detail: herebelow.

The seating 1 and the back 2 are connected by at least an elbow-rest 5 made of a flexible blade the ends of which are connected to spindles 6 and 7 respectively supported bythe seating 1 and the back 2. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the hereabove spindles are advantageously designed so as to define a groove 8 in which is engaged the corresponding end of the flexible blade forming the elbow-rest. A washer or any other abutment member 9 is provided at the end of the spindle for preventing the blade 5 from sliding off. Itcan be advantageous to provide a second washer 10 for forming a distance-piece between the inner edge of the blade 5 and the pad of the back 2 and seating 1.

The depth of the groove 8 of each spindle is chosen such that the blade 5 forming the elbow-rest cannot escape, and the length of said blade is larger than the distance from the spindle 6 to the spindle 7, so that said blade is stretehed in a manner of a bow so as to buckle.

There results from the hereabove exposed conditions that the blade 5 has a curvature which, on the one hand, is attractive, and, on the other hand, corresponds to the shape which an elbow-rest should have in order to be comfortable when resting thereon the fore-arms and possibly the wrists, and even the hand palms.

If is is desired that the curvature has a particular shape, this can be obtained by acting either on the thickness of some portions of the blade or on its width. One of the ends, for example that which is adjacent the spindle 6, can in particular be more flexible than the other end. The blade 5 can be covered by a pad of some sort in cloth or plastics material when it is desired that its aspect corresponds to that of the covering of the seating and back, or that it partakes to the variable flexibility of the blade.

As illustrated in the drawings, when the back 2 is in the raised position corresponding to the most frequent utilization position, the elbow-rest 5 occupies the position represented in full line. When the user wishes to retract the elbow-rest, for example in order to leave the seat, he has only to apply a pressure on the top of the elbow-rest, the effect of which is to flex it and then have it abruptly curved in the opposite direction in order to occupy the position shown at 5a.

When the back 2 is progressively inclined in order to occupy positions 21, 22 . . ., the spindle 7 is correlatively displaced and, consequently, the elbow-rest occupies positions 51, 52, . . ., r in which it progressively moves aside, meaning that it has a configuration which is permanently adapted to the respective positions of the back 2 and seating 1. The length of the elbow-rest and the positions of spindles 6,7 are of course determined such that the elbow-rest remains in a slightly compressed state when the back 2 is brought in alignment with the seating 1.

The blade which is constituent of the elbow-rest can be indifferently made of a metal or a plastics material, particularly a resin reinforced with glass fibres or similar materials.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown and described in detail, and many modifications can be carried out without departing from its scope as shown in the appendent claims. In particular, the mode of fixation of the ends of the elbow-rest can be different to that shown. Particularly, it is possible to use spindles 6,7 of cylindrical shape and to engage onto each of them a slotted sleeve receiving the ends of the blade forming the elbow rest.

1. A seat with retractableelbow-rest, characterized in that both the seating and the back of the seat support laterally a retaining spindle of one end of a resilient flexible blade maintained in compression between the two spindles so that it buckles by defining either a convex curvature our a concave curvature according to whether it is brought to one or the other of two configurations by acting on it by pressure or traction.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Seat with retractable elbow rest The present invention relates to a novel seat with retractable elbow-rest which, when being realized, is such that the elbow-rest can be easily retracted without having to previously carry out a disassemb ling operation, nor a loosening of any member. Moreover, the elbow-rest according to the invention, when used on seats with reclinable back, has its curvature changed and adapted to the inclination of the back of the seat without having to provide several elbow-rest sections articulated together as is Be case with elbow-rests known so far. According to the invention, the seat with retractable elbow-rest is characterized in that both the seating and the back of the seat support laterally a retaining spindle of an end of a resilient flexible blade maintained under compression between the two spindles so that it buckles by defining either a convex curvature or a concave curvature according to whether it is brought to one or the other of two configurations by acting on it by pressure or traction. Various other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. An embodiment of the invention is shown as a non limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of a seat carrying out the invention. Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged diagrammatical perspective view illustrating a detail of embodiment. In the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates the seating portion of a seat and 2 the back of the seat. The seating and the back of the seat are connected together by an articulation mechanism 3 the axis of which is designated at 4. A control mecharn with a handle or a button, or of any other mode oltreatlzation known in the art, is normally provided for pivoting the back 2 relative to the seating X The mechanisms of this type being known ime art, and their contruction not being comprised wiffitrt the scope of the invention, they arse not described more in detail: herebelow. The seating 1 and the back 2 are connected by at least an elbow-rest 5 made of a flexible blade the ends of which are connected to spindles 6 and 7 respectively supported bythe seating 1 and the back 2. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the hereabove spindles are advantageously designed so as to define a groove 8 in which is engaged the corresponding end of the flexible blade forming the elbow-rest. A washer or any other abutment member 9 is provided at the end of the spindle for preventing the blade 5 from sliding off. Itcan be advantageous to provide a second washer 10 for forming a distance-piece between the inner edge of the blade 5 and the pad of the back 2 and seating 1. The depth of the groove 8 of each spindle is chosen such that the blade 5 forming the elbow-rest cannot escape, and the length of said blade is larger than the distance from the spindle 6 to the spindle 7, so that said blade is stretehed in a manner of a bow so as to buckle. There results from the hereabove exposed conditions that the blade 5 has a curvature which, on the one hand, is attractive, and, on the other hand, corresponds to the shape which an elbow-rest should have in order to be comfortable when resting thereon the fore-arms and possibly the wrists, and even the hand palms. If is is desired that the curvature has a particular shape, this can be obtained by acting either on the thickness of some portions of the blade or on its width. One of the ends, for example that which is adjacent the spindle 6, can in particular be more flexible than the other end. The blade 5 can be covered by a pad of some sort in cloth or plastics material when it is desired that its aspect corresponds to that of the covering of the seating and back, or that it partakes to the variable flexibility of the blade. As illustrated in the drawings, when the back 2 is in the raised position corresponding to the most frequent utilization position, the elbow-rest 5 occupies the position represented in full line. When the user wishes to retract the elbow-rest, for example in order to leave the seat, he has only to apply a pressure on the top of the elbow-rest, the effect of which is to flex it and then have it abruptly curved in the opposite direction in order to occupy the position shown at 5a. When the back 2 is progressively inclined in order to occupy positions 21, 22 . . ., the spindle 7 is correlatively displaced and, consequently, the elbow-rest occupies positions 51, 52, . . ., r in which it progressively moves aside, meaning that it has a configuration which is permanently adapted to the respective positions of the back 2 and seating 1. The length of the elbow-rest and the positions of spindles 6,7 are of course determined such that the elbow-rest remains in a slightly compressed state when the back 2 is brought in alignment with the seating 1. The blade which is constituent of the elbow-rest can be indifferently made of a metal or a plastics material, particularly a resin reinforced with glass fibres or similar materials. The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown and described in detail, and many modifications can be carried out without departing from its scope as shown in the appendent claims. In particular, the mode of fixation of the ends of the elbow-rest can be different to that shown. Particularly, it is possible to use spindles 6,7 of cylindrical shape and to engage onto each of them a slotted sleeve receiving the ends of the blade forming the elbow rest. CLAIMS

2. A seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the back is articulated to the seating such that the blade forming the elbow-rest is in positions for which it is more or less stretched in a manner of a bow.

3. A seat according to either claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the length of the blade forming an elbow-rest is larger than the distance between the spindle of the seating and the spindle of the back when the latter is in alignment with the seating.

4. A seat according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that spindles supporting the end of the blade forming the elbow-rest are spindles defining a longitudinal slot into which is inserted a corresponding end of said blade.

5. A seat according to anyone of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an abutment is provided at the end of each spindle for preventing the blade from being ejected.

6. A seat according to anyone of claims 1 to 5, characterized by a distance-piece interposed between the inner edge of the blade and the corresponding side of the seating and back.

7. A seat according to anyone of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the blade is indifferently made of a metal and/or a plastics material.

8. A seat according to anyone of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the blade is coated with a covering.

9. A seat according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the blade has a variable flexibil ity.