Back to results
US 9,173,499 B2Granted
Adjustable armrest apparatus
AssigneeRoyal Technologies Corporation
InventorsJames Henry Baas, Wesley D. Mersman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable armrest having a base and an armrest that are coupled together through an articulating joint assembly. The joint assembly includes a body with a first articulating ball joint and a second articulating ball joint. The first articulating ball joint is coupled to the armrest with the second articulating ball joint being coupled to the base.
Claims19
An adjustable armrest apparatus comprising:
- a base configured to be attached to a chair;
- an armrest spaced apart from the base;
- and
- an articulating joint assembly having:
- a body with a first end and a second end and defining a cavity at the first end;
- a first articulating ball joint at the first end, the first articulating ball joint comprising:
- a lower socket member slidably positionable within the cavity of the body proximate the first end, the lower socket member including a ball contact surface facing outwardly from the cavity and an opposing surface facing in a direction opposite of the ball contact surface;
- a ball member including an outer surface and a coupling member, the ball member positionable within the cavity on the ball contact surface of the lower socket member;
- and
- an upper socket member fixedly coupled to the articulating joint and having a ball contact surface which engages the ball member, and confines the ball member between the upper socket member and the lower socket member, the upper socket member including an opening extending therethrough for access to the coupling member of the ball member;
- and
- a lower socket limiting member positioned within the body and biasing the lower socket member toward the upper socket member so as to sandwich the ball member therebetween and to increase the force necessary to rotate the ball member;
- wherein the base is coupled to one of the coupling member of the ball member at the first end and the second end of the articulating joint assembly and the armrest is coupled to the other of the coupling member of the ball member at the first end and the second end.
10 more elements
An adjustable armrest apparatus comprising:
- a base configured to be attached to a chair;
- an armrest spaced apart from the base;
- and
- an articulating joint assembly having:
- a body with a first end and a second end and defining a cavity therebetween;
- a first articulating ball joint at the first end and a second articulating ball joint at the second end, each articulating ball joint comprising:
- a lower socket member slidably positionable within the cavity of the body positioned at the respective end of the body, the lower socket member including a ball contact surface facing outwardly from the cavity and an opposing surface facing in a direction opposite of the ball contact surface;
- a ball member including an outer surface and a coupling member, the ball member positionable within the cavity on the ball contact surface of the lower socket member;
- and
- an upper socket member fixedly coupled to the articulating joint and having a ball contact surface which engages the ball member, and confines the ball member between the upper socket member and the lower socket member, the upper socket member including an opening extending therethrough for access to the coupling member of the ball member;
- and
- a lower socket limiting member positioned within the body and biasing the lower socket member of each of the first and second articulating ball joints in opposing directions, toward the respective upper socket member so as to sandwich each ball member therebetween and to increase the force necessary to rotate each ball member;
- wherein the ball member of the first articulating ball joint is coupled to the armrest and the second articulating ball joint is coupled to the base.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.