Fastenerless arm pad attachment mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11006759-B2
Application number	US-201916571453-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2019
Priority date	Jan 22, 2018
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A chair can include armrest apparatuses. Each of the armrest apparatuses can be configured so an arm pad is connectable to an armrest without the use of a mechanical fastener (e.g. a screw, a bolt, etc.) and without the use of an adhesive or welding, and without the use of mechanical tools (e.g. screw driver, hammer, etc.) by use of interlocking mating profiles defined in the structure of the arm pad and structure of the armrest to which the arm pad is attached. Embodiments of the chair can be configured as a side chair, task chair, or other type of chair having at least one armrest or other type of armrest apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An armrest apparatus for a chair comprising:
an arm pad having a bottom, a wall projecting from a surface of the bottom to define an inner aperture, the wall defining spaced apart recesses that each have an opening mouth that faces into the inner aperture;
an arm pad support plate, the arm pad support plate having a wall that at least partially defines an inner cavity, the wall having a plurality of projections extending away from the wall, the projections being resilient, each of the projections sized and shaped to be matingly and interlockingly received within a respective one of the recesses of the wall of the arm pad for fastenerless connection of the arm pad to the arm pad support plate; and
wherein the arm pad support plate has a plurality of columns positioned in the inner cavity.

2. The armrest apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a top of each of the columns is positioned above a top of the wall of the arm pad support plate.

3. The armrest apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arm pad has a plurality of projections extending from the bottom of the arm pad, each of the projections configured to extend into a hole of a respective column.

4. The armrest apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each of the projections that extend from the bottom of the arm pad is configured to resiliently deform for insertion into the hole of the column to which the projection is insertable so that resiliency of the projection causes the projection to help provide an interference fit connection between the projection and the column having the hole in which the projection is inserted.

5. The armrest apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the projections extending away from the wall of the arm pad support plate is configured to resiliently deform for insertion into the opening mouth of the recess of the wall of the arm pad to which the projection is inserted so that resiliency of the projection facilitates an interference fit connection between the projection and the wall of the arm pad having the recess in which the projection is inserted.

6. The armrest apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the projections is configured to resiliently deform for insertion into the opening mouth of the recess of the wall of the arm pad to which the projection is inserted to provide an interference fit connection between the projection and the wall of the arm pad having the recess in which the projection is inserted.

7. The armrest apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arm pad support plate is comprised of a polymeric member.

8. The armrest apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the arm pad support plate is a unitary structure.

9. An armrest apparatus for a chair comprising:
an arm pad having a bottom, a wall projecting from a surface of the bottom to define an inner aperture, and a plurality of locking members extending from the surface of the bottom positioned at least partially in the inner aperture;
an arm pad support plate, the arm pad support plate having a plurality of locking feature apertures, each locking feature aperture configured to receive a respective one of the locking members to directly attach the arm pad to the arm pad support plate for fastenerless connection of the arm pad to the arm pad support plate; and
wherein the plurality of locking feature apertures include apertures that are structured to define ramped surfaces of the arm pad support plate, the ramped surfaces being sloped so that rear ends of the ramped surfaces are positioned deeper into the arm pad support plate than front ends of the ramped surfaces.

10. The armrest apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of locking members include a plurality of ramp contacting members, each of the ramp contacting members configured to contact a respective one of the ramped surfaces of the arm pad support plate to engage the ramped surface.

11. The armrest apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:
the arm pad includes a front locking member of the plurality of locking members, the front locking member extending from the bottom of the arm pad that is positioned at least partially within the inner aperture of the arm pad, the front locking member extending from a bottom surface of the bottom of the arm pad such that a rear edge portion of the front locking member is spaced apart from the bottom of the arm pad by a gap; and
the plurality of locking feature apertures include a front edge locking feature aperture that defines a front profile of the arm pad support plate that is sized and configured to receive the front locking member that extends from the bottom of the arm pad, the front profile defining a lower front surface below the top surface and a gap defined between the lower front surface of the arm pad support plate and the top surface of the arm pad support plate, the rear edge portion of the front locking member being received with the gap defined between the lower front surface of the arm pad support plate and the top surface of the arm pad support plate.

12. The armrest apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the arm pad support plate is comprised of a polymeric member.

13. The armrest apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the arm pad support plate is a unitary structure.

14. An armrest apparatus for a chair comprising:
an arm pad having a bottom, a wall projecting from a surface of the bottom to define an inner aperture, and a plurality of locking members extending from the surface of the bottom positioned at least partially in the inner aperture; and
an arm pad support plate having a plurality of locking feature apertures, each locking feature aperture configured to receive a respective one of the locking members to directly attach the arm pad to the arm pad support plate for fastenerless connection of the arm pad to the arm pad support plate;
wherein:

the arm pad includes a front locking member of the plurality of locking members, the front locking member extending from the bottom of the arm pad and is at least partially within the inner aperture of the arm pad, the front locking member extending from the bottom of the arm pad such that a rear edge portion of the front locking member is spaced apart from the bottom of the arm pad by a gap; and
the plurality of locking feature apertures include a front edge locking feature aperture that defines a front profile of the arm pad support plate, the front locking edge feature aperture being sized and configured to receive the front locking member;
the front profile defining a lower front surface below the top surface and a gap defined between the lower front surface of the arm pad support plate and the top surface of the arm pad support plate, the rear edge portion of the front locking member being received within the gap defined between the lower front surface of the arm pad support plate and the top surface of the arm pad support plate.

15. The armrest apparatus for a chair of claim 14 wherein the plurality of locking feature apertures include a recess within the top surface of the arm pad support plate.

16. The armrest apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of locking members include a resilient locking finger that extends from the bottom of the arm pad, the resilient locking finger having a distal edge that is configured to be received within the recess and resiliently engage at least one sidewall that defines the recess.

17. The armrest apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of locking feature apertures include apertures that are structured to define ramped surfaces of the arm pad support plate, the ramped surfaces being sloped so that rear ends of the ramped surfaces are positioned deeper

Assignees

• Knoll Inc

Inventors

• Hector Andrew Blair
• Flynn Christopher

Classifications

• A47C7/54 Primary

  Supports for the arms · CPC title

• B68G5/00

  Resilient upholstery pads (finished upholstery B68G11/00 {; making upholstery from plastics B29D99/0092}) · CPC title