Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an adjustable support assembly for
supporting a component, such as a backrest or an armrest, upon a structural
part of a sofa or other piece of furniture.
BACKGROUND
Sofas are usually composed of a frame provided with cushions and
various projecting components such as backrests and armrests. In the most
common sofas' design, these components are rigidly attached to the frame.
It is also known in the art to provide a sofa with removable and
interchangeable backrests and armrests. These components are for example
provided with a downwardly projecting shaft removably inserted into a hole
made in the frame or~ in a support bracket added to the frame for this
purpose.
However, the components can be installed in only one specific orientation, or
otherwise are free to rotate about the axis of the shaft. Neither of these
alternatives allow a person sitting on the sofa to releasably lock the angular
position of the component so he may rest on it in any desired direction.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a support
assembly for a component of a sofa or other piece of furniture, in which the
orientation of the component can be adjusted and locked in a plurality of
angular positions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a support
assembly which is simple to use and inexpensive to manufacture.
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Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a
support assembly which may be hidden from view so as to preserve the
aesthetic qualities of the sofa.
In accordance with the above objects, the present invention provides an
adjustable support assembly for supporting a component upon a structural part
of
a piece of furniture, comprising:
a shaft having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being arranged
to support the component and the lower end having a non-circular cross-
section;
an elongated hollow member having a flare-shaped upper portion and an
opening for receiving the lower end of the shaft in a sliding engagement;
means for fastening the elongated hollow member to the structural part; and
locking means for releasably holding the shaft in any one of a plurality of
operative angular positions with respect to the hollow member when said shaft
is
substantially engaged in said hollow member, said locking means comprising a
catch affixed to the hollow member, the catch having an opening in alignment
with
the opening of the hollow member and being shaped so that the lower end of the
shaft fits in the opening of the catch only when in said angular positions,
said catch
being affixed to the hollow member at a position lower than the flare-shaped
upper
portion so that the angular position of the shaft is changeable by partly
raising said
shaft without disengaging said shaft from the hollow member.
Preferably, the fastening means is in the form of a mounting bracket on one
side of the hollow member and shaped to fit against the structural member of
the piece of furniture.
Preferably, the catch has circumferentially distributed dents so that the
lower end of the shaft fits into the catch only when in specific angular
positions.
The present invention also provides an adjustable support assembly in
combination with a structural part of a piece of furniture, said support
assembly
supporting a component on said structural part, comprising:
a shaft having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being arranged
to support the component and the lower end having a non-circular cross-
section;
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an elongated hollow member having a flare-shaped upper portion and
an opening for receiving the lower end of the shaft in a sliding engagement;
means for fastening the elongated hollow member to the structural part; and
locking means for releasably holding the shaft in any one of a plurality of
operative angular positions with respect to the hollow member when said shaft
is
substantially engaged in said hollow member, said locking means comprising a
catch affixed to the hollow member at a position lower than the flare-shaped
upper
portion, the catch having an opening in alignment with the opening of the
hollow
member and being shaped so that the lower end of the shaft fits in the opening
of
the catch only when in said angular positions, said catch being affixed to the
hollow member at a position lower than the flare-shaped upper portion so that
the
angular position of the shaft is changeable by partly raising said shaft
without
disengaging said shaft from the hollow member.
In the preferred embodiment, the piece of furniture is a sofa. The
component may for example be a backrest, an arm rest or a side table.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention and its advantages will be better understood upon
reading the following non restrictive description of preferred embodiments
thereof,
with reference to the following drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective, exploded view of a sofa having two backrests
mounted with support assemblies according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective, exploded view of a sofa having an armrest
mounted with a support assembly according to the present invention.
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Figure 3 is a side view of a support assembly according to the
present invention, without the shaft and the component.
Figure 4 is a bottom view of a support assembly according to the
present invention, without the mounting bracket.
Figures 5A and 5B are bottom views of a support assembly according
to the present invention, respectively showing the shaft inserted into the
elongated hollow member in a first and a second angular position.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the hollow member and the mounting
bracket of the support assembly shown in figure 1.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the hollow member and mounting
bracket of the support assembly shown in figure 2.
Figure 8 is an exploded view of an adjustable support assembly for a
table, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
In the preferred embodiments described herein, the adjustable support
assembly according to the present invention is described as used for
supporting components of a sofa, such as backrests, armrests, or a side table.
It is however to be understood that the present invention may be equally used
with other pieces of furniture such as a chair or a bed and any other
component that may complement such structures.
Referring to figure 1 there is shown a sofa (10) provided with two
backrests (12), each being mounted with a support assembly (14) according
to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to figure 2 there is shown a similar sofa, having an armrest
(13) mounted with a support assembly (14) having a slightly different design
from the support assemblies shown in figure 1.
Referring to both figures 1 and 2, each support assembly (14) includes
a shaft (16) having upper and lower ends (18, 20). The upper end (18) is
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adapted to support the desired component, embodied in the present
cases by the backrests (12) or the armrest (13). The upper end (18) of the
shaft ( 16) can be provided with a mounting plate (54), to receive the
component thereon. Each support assembly (14) further includes an elongated
hollow member (22) having an opening (24) extending preferably along its
length. This opening (24) is fit to receive the lower end (20) of the shaft
(16)
in a sliding engagement. For a sofa (10) having a seat cushion (46) covering
the frame (26), vertical holes (48) are preferably made therein, in alignment
with the opening (24) of the elongated hollow member (28). Preferably, the
elongated hollow member (22) has a tubular shaped lower portion (42) and a
flare-shaped upper portion (44). In this manner, the lower end (20) of the
shaft (16) may be inserted easily into the holes (48) and guided by the flare-
shaped upper portion (44) into the tubular portion (42).
As may be seen in figures 3, 6 and 7, the elongated hollow member
(22) is fastened to a structural part of the sofa, such as its frame (26). A
mounting bracket 28 is preferably used for this purpose. The bracket (28) is
connected to a side of the hollow member (22). These two elements may for
example be made of metal and be welded together. The bracket (28) shown in
the figures is L-shaped. Other shapes may be used as needed. The bracket
(28) may be screwed on the frame (26) of the sofa (10) with screws (32)
inserted through holes (30) made in the bracket (28). Other types of fasteners
can be used if desired.
Referring now to figures 3, 4, 5A and 5B, the adjustable support
assembly (14) according to the present invention further includes a locking
device for the purpose of releasably holding the shaft (16) in any one of a
plurality of angular positions with respect to the hollow member (22), when
the shaft (16) is substantially engaged therein. The locking device preferably
comprises a catch (34), affixed to the hollow member (22) and preferably
located conveniently at the bottom thereof. The catch (34) has an opening
(36), in alignment with the opening (24) of the hollow member (22). The
opening (361 is shaped so that the lower end (20) of the shaft ( 16) fits
therein
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only when in the desired angular positions. In this embodiment, the
lower end (20) of the shaft (16) has a non-circular cross section to be
engageable with the catch (34) in the different angular positions.
The locking engagement described above may be achieved in a plurality
5 of manners. In the embodiment illustrated herein, the shaft (16) is provided
with a projection (38) extending along its length. The opening (36) of the
catch (34) has circumferentially distributed dents (401, best seen in figure
4,
in which the projection (38) of the shaft (16) is insertable. The shaft (16)
may
conveniently have a rectangular or square cross-section, having four corners
each defining a projection (38). Figures 5A and 5B show such an embodiment
where the lower end (20) of the shaft (16) is engaged in the dents (40) of the
catch (34) in two different angular positions.
Advantageously, the present embodiment makes the support assembly
according to the invention very easy to operate. To change the orientation of
the component, the user simply has to partially lift up the component, thereby
disengaging the lower end (20) of the shaft (16) from the catch (341, then
rotating the component, and sliding it down to engage the lower end (20) of
the shaft (16) with the catch (34) in the new desired angular position. It may
be necessary to slightly wiggle the component to orient the shaft in one of
the
angular positions provided by the catch.
The catch (34) may be given a variety of shapes and be attached to the
hollow member (22) in any appropriate manners.
Figures 6 and 7 show two preferred embodiments of the catch (34). As
shown in figure 6, the bracket (28) may be step-shaped and include a lower
ledge (501 extending under the hollow member (22). The dents (40) may be
provided in this lower ledge (50), which in this case acts as the catch (34).
Alternatively, in the preferred embodiment of figure 7, the catch (34) has a
ring-shaped outer portion (52) and is fixed directly under the hollow member
(22).
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Referring now to figure 8, there is shown another preferred
embodiment of the invention where the component is a side table (56). The
side table (56) preferably has a table surface (58), and a table arm (60)
projecting downwardly therefrom. A table mounting plate (62) may be
provided on the upper end of the table arm (60), the table surface (58) being
fixed to this table mounting plate (62) with screws (64). Preferably, a
stopping plate (66) may also be provided extending on the upper end (18) of
the shaft (16), to rest on the sofa (10) when the shaft (16) is engaged in the
hollow member (22). In this manner, the table surface (58) extends at a
predetermined convenient height over the sofa (10).
While embodiments of this invention have been illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and described above, it will be evident to those
skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without
departing from the essence of this invention. All such modifications or
variations are believed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by
the claims appended hereto.
