Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02549497 2006-06-06
Title
CHAIR ARM CUP HOLDER
Scope of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to chairs with arm rests and, more particularly,
to a chair
arm rest providing a holder for beverage containers or ashtrays.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Arm rests for chairs are well known to include cup holders to removably
retain
beverage containers. A disadvantage of many known cup holders is that their
components
significantly increase the complexity of the chair assembly. Another
disadvantage of many
known cup holders is that the cup holder provides a recess within which
spilled fluids may
accumulate and are difficult to clean. Another disadvantage of cup holders is
that liquid
which may be spilled typically is above the surface of the seat and will drip
down onto the
seat rendering the seat unusable until cleaned.
Summary of the Invention
[0003] To at least partially overcome these disadvantages of previously known
devices,
the present invention provides an improved chair arm configuration having a
generally
horizontal arm rest portion from which a bridging portion extends downwardly
to a lower
cup support portion and with a cup ring member having an opening therethrough
supported
by the bridging portion forward of the bridging portion and vertically above
the cup support
portion.
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a simplified chair arm
adapted for
use with or without a container supporting member.
[0005] Another object is to provide a chair arm adapted to removably support a
beverage
container or an ashtray.
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[0006] Another object is to provide a chair with a cup support portion for
supporting a
beverage container spaced laterally from a chair seat surface and/or at a
height below the
height of the chair seat surface.
[0007] In one aspect, the present invention provides an elongate chair arm
having:
[0008] a generally horizontal arm rest portion disposed at a first height,
[0009] a bridging portion, and
[0010] a generally horizontal cup support portion disposed at a second height
below the
first height,
[0011] the bridging portion disposed intermediate the arm rest portion and the
cup
support portion and joining a forward end of the arm rest portion with a rear
end of the cup
support portion,
[0012] the bridging portion descending from the first height of the arm rest
portion to the
second height of the cup support portion,
[0013] a cup ring member having an opening therethrough,
[0014] the cup ring member supported by the bridging portion in a position
forward of
the bridging portion and with the opening extending vertically through the cup
ring member
vertically above the cup support portion spaced a distance above the cup
support portion.
[0015] Preferably, a chair arm in accordance with the first aspect is provided
in
combination with a container sized to be removably received in the opening of
the support
ring with an access mouth of the container opened upwardly. Preferably the
container is
selected from a beverage container and an ashtray. Preferably, when the
container is a
beverage container, the container is sized to have its lower end passed down
through the
opening to engage and rest on the cup support portion.
[0016] In another aspect, the present invention provides a chair having a seat
and a chair
arm laterally of the seat,
[0017] the seat having an upper surface at a seat height, the upper surface
extending
laterally to the lateral side surface of the seat,
[0018] the chair arm having:
[0019] an arm rest portion disposed at a first height,
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[0020] a cup support portion disposed forward from the arm rest portion at a
second
height below the first height,
[0021] a ring member having an opening therethrough,
[0022] the ring member supported in a position forward of the arm rest portion
and with
the opening extending vertically through the ring member vertically above the
cup support
portion spaced a distance above the cup support portion,
[0023] the ring member at a height above the seat height,
[0024] the cup support portion at a height above the seat height.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0025] Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent
from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings
in which:
[0026] Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a three-seat chair
in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] Figure 2 is a top, plan view of the chair of Figure 1;
[0028] Figure 3 is a front view of the chair of Figure 1;
[0029] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a cup holding chair arm shown in
Figure 1;
[0030] Figure 5 is a front view of the chair arm of Figure 4;
[0031] Figure 6 is a top view of the chair arm of Figure 4;
[0032] Figure 7 is a side view of the chair arm of Figure 4 schematically
showing some
elements of the chair of Figure 1;
[0033] Figure 8 is a rear perspective view of a ring and bracket member shown
in Figure 1;
[0034] Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view as in Figure 4 including a cup
in
combination with the chair arm;
[0035] Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 but showing a cylindrical
beverage can in
combination with the chair arm;
[0036] Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the ring and bracket
member
of Figure 4 in combination with an ashtray;
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[0037] Figure 12 is a side view of Figure 11 with the right half side of the
ashtray in
cross-section;
[0038] Figure 13 is an assembled view of the ashtray and ring and bracket
member
shown in Figure 12; and
[0039] Figure 14 is a side view of Figure 13 with the left half of the ashtray
and cup ring
member in cross-section.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
[0040] Reference is made to Figure 1 which shows a seating structure 10
providing three
chairs 12 supported on a framework comprising two side frames each having a
rear post 91
and a front post 92 bridged by a side beam 93. The side frames are joined via
a rear rail 94
joining the tops of the rear post 91 and a front rai195 joining the tops of
the front post 92.
Each of the chairs is provided by a sheet 96 of metal supported at an upper
rear end on the
rear rai194 and extending to have a forward lower end on the front rail 95.
Each sheet 96
provides the support surfaces of a chair including a chair seat portion 97 and
a chair back
portion 98. The chair seat portion 97 is preferably covered by a seat pad 99
and similarly the
chair back portion 98 is similarly covered by a resilient padded back pad 100
with an integral
head pad. Beside the chairs 12, chair arms are provided. In the preferred
embodiment, two
forms of chair arms are shown. Firstly, two cup holding chair arms 14 are
shown on either
side of the middle chair 12. Secondly, a chair arm 103 without a cup holding
capability is
shown on the outside of one end chair 12.
[0041] The seating structure 10 shows three chairs on its framework. Similar
such
seating structures may be provided with additional or fewer of the chair arms
14 and 103
between chairs. The seating structures may have one, two, three or more chairs
on each
framework. The seating structure is particularly adapted as of modular chair
structure for use
in providing rows of chairs of extended length as, for example, in waiting
areas in airports
and hospitals.
[0042] Reference is made to Figure 4 which illustrates in perspective view one
of the cup
holding chair arms 14. The arm 14 includes at a lower front end a front hook
portion 16 for
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fixedly coupling to the front rail 95 and at its rear a rear hook portion 26
for fixedly coupling
to the rear rail 94. The arm 14 is formed from an elongate planar strip of
metal of uniform
thickness bent to form different portions along its length including in
sequence the front hook
portion 16, a cup support portion 18, a bridging portion 20, an arm rest
portion 22, a riser
portion 24, and the rear hook portion 26. A ring and bracket member 30 is
supported on the
bridge portion 20. The arm 14 has an upper surface 15 and a lower surface 13
as seen in
Figure 7.
[0043] As shown, the arm portion 22 is disposed horizontally at a first
height. A relatively
small radius curve 21 forms a merger between a forward end of the arm rest
portion 22 and an
upper rear end of the bridging portion 20. The bridging portion 20 extends
downwardly and
forwardly away from the arm portion 22. A relatively small radius curve 19 is
provided
between the lower forward end of the bridge portion 20 and the rear end of the
cup portion 18.
The cup support portion 18 extends horizontally forwardly from the bridge
portion 20 at a
second height and merges at its front end with the front hook portions 16. At
the rear of the
arm rest portion 22, a relatively small radius curve 23 merges with a riser
portion which
extends rearwardly and upwardly to merge into the rear hook portion 26.
[0044] An arm rest pad 28 is provided over most of the arm rest portion 22 and
extends
over the curve 21 and partially downwardly onto the bridging portion 20. This
arm rest pad
28 may preferably have some resiliency and be padded to provide increased
comfort on
engagement by a user.
[0045] The ring and bracket member 30 is best seen in Figure 8 as comprising
an annular
ring member 32 integrally formed with a bracket member 34. The bracket member
34 carries
a securement flange 35 at a rear end and extends forwardly to a forward end 36
coupled to the
ring member 32. As seen in Figure 7, the rear flange 35 of the bracket member
34 is secured
to the bridging portion 20 with the rear flange 35 to overlie the upper
surface 15 of the arm 14
over the bridging portion 20 by the use of fasteners which extend from a rear
surface 16 of the
arm 14 through the bridging portion 20.
[0046] The ring member 32 has an opening 37 therethrough disposed about an
axis 39.
The ring member 32 is a generally annular member with an outer surface 40 and
an inner
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surface 38 each of which is circular in any cross-section normal to the axis
39. As best seen
in cross-section in Figure 14, the inner surface 38 is shown as being
frustoconical. The ring
member 32 has an upper surface 42 disposed to lie in the same plane as an
upper surface 44
of the bracket member 34. As seen in side view in Figure 7, the axis 39
through the opening
37 of the ring member is disposed vertically with the upper surface 42 of the
ring member
and the upper surface 44 of the bracket member 34 being horizontal. As seen in
top view in
Figure 6, the ring member 32 is supported in a position with the opening 37
vertically above
the cup support portion 18 as with, for the purpose of illustration, a point
45 being indicated
as the location where the axis 39 meets the upper surface 15 of the cup
support portion 18.
[0047] As seen in side view in Figure 7, each of the cup support portion 18,
bridging
portion 20 and arm rest portion 22 are shown as being linear and straight in
side view. An
angle A between the bridging portion 20 and the arm rest portion 22 is
complementary to the
angle B between the cup support portion 18 and the bridging portion 20, and in
the
embodiment of Figure 7, each of angle A and angle B is shown to be about 45 .
[0048] Reference is made to Figure 9 showing an enlarged view of Figure 4 but
with a
beverage cup 50 held by the arm 14 as shown in solid lines. The cup 50 is
shown as a
frustoconical container with a closed base or lower end 51 and frustoconical
side walls 52
extending upwardly about a central axis 53 to an upper end 54 which is open
providing an
access mouth 55 to the cup.
[0049] The cup is illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 9 in a position
vertically above the
ring member 32 from which position it may be moved downwardly with the lower
end 51 of
the cup and the side walls 52 to move downwardly through the opening 37 of the
ring
member 32 to a position in which the lower end 51 of the cup engages the upper
surface 15
of the cup support member 18 against further movement downwardly. The cup 50
is sized
and having its lower end 51 and side walls 52 of a configuration which permits
the cup 50 to
be moved downwardly through the opening 37 with its lower end to engage the
cup support
portion 18. The side walls 52 of the cup are received inside the inner surface
38 of the
annular ring 32 with lateral movement of the cup being restricted by
engagement between
the side walls 52 of the cup and the inner surfaces 38 of the annular ring 32.
As seen in
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Figure 7, the cup ring member has its top surface 42 at a set height Ht above
the upper
surface 15 of the cup support 18. With the lower end of the cup 50 supported
on the cup
support portion 18, the side walls preferably extend upwardly through the
opening 37 to
above the ring member 32 for ease of access to the cup 50. Preferably,
therefore, the cup 50
has an overall height Hc which is greater than the height Ht, however, lateral
support to the
cup will be provided by the ring member 32 if the cup 50 may have a height
greater than the
height of a lower surface 43 of the ring member 32 above the cup support
portion shown as
Hb in Figure 7.
[0050] Reference is made to Figure 10 which is similar to Figure 9, however,
illustrates a
cylindrical container 60 such as a beer can supported by the chair arm 14. As
shown, the can
60 has a lower end 61, cylindrical side walls 62 coaxial about an axis 63 and
an upper end 64
substantially closed but for a mouth 65 from which fluid may be dispensed. The
can 60 has a
diameter less than the diameter of the aperture 37 of the ring member 32. The
can has a
height greater than the height of the ring member Ht. The cup 60 has its lower
end supported
on the cup support portion 18 and the can 60 is received within the opening 37
with space
between the inner surface 38 of the opening 37 and the side walls 62 of the
can 60. In lateral
movement of the can 60 from the position of Figure 10, engagement between the
side walls
62 of the can 60 and the inner surface 38 of the ring member 32 will maintain
the can
disposed with its lower end above the cup support portion 18.
[0051] Reference is made to Figures 11 to 14 which illustrate a removable
ashtray 70 for
use with the ring and bracket member 30. The ashtray member 70 has a closed
lower end 71
formed to be frustoconical and extending from a lower apex upwardly and
outwardly to inner
wa1172 which is marginally frustoconical and extends upwardly to an upper end
74 where it
merges with an annular radially outwardly extending generally horizontal
flange 75 which in
turn merges at its outer periphery into an annular downwardly extending outer
wall 76.
Three grooves 77 are provided through the flange 45 and between the inner wall
72 and the
outer wall 76 providing convenient locations for resting of a cigarette or
cigar. Each of the
grooves 77 has a U-shaped bottom wa1178. At a rear end opposite a middle of
the grooves
77, a slotway 79 extends upwardly into the outer wa1176.
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[0052] Figures 11 and 12 illustrate the ashtray 70 in a position disposed
vertically above
the ring member 32 and from which position the ashtray 70 may be moved
downwardly to
assume the engaged positions illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 with the ashtray
70 secured to
the ring member 32 with the inner wall 72 fitted snugly within the opening 37
with radially
outwardly directed surfaces of the inner wall 72 closely engaging the inner
surface 38 of the
opening 37 and the outer wall 76 disposed outwardly of the ring member 32
extending
partially downwardly thereover. A lower surface of each of the U-shaped walls
78 engage
the upper surface 42 of the ring member 32 and the bight 80 of the slotway 79
engage on the
upper surface 44 of the bracket member 34 as to limit movement of the ashtray
70
downwardly. As seen in Figure 13, the slotway 79 has side surfaces 81 which
closely engage
with sides of the bracket member 34 to constrain the ashtray against rotation
relative to the
ring member.
[0053] The ashtray 70 preferably is sized and configured to fit on the ring
and bracket
member 30 in a relatively snug, friction fit relation against inadvertent
accidental removal,
although this is unnecessary. The ashtrays may be disposable or,
alternatively, may be
provided to be reusable albeit, preferably replaceable for cleaning and
removable when
ashtrays are not desired to be provided. The ashtray 70 may be formed from
many different
materials, however, preferably may be formed and may comprise a relatively
inexpensive
disposable member as, for example, formed from aluminum which may be removed
and
discarded after use.
[0054] An advantage of the chair arm in accordance with the preferred
embodiment is
that insofar as an ashtray 70 may be provided but subsequently removed, the
ring and bracket
member 30 will after removal of the ashtray serve the function of being
adapted to support a
beverage container. Where a chair may be located in a smoking area, then
ashtrays may be
provided as, for example, with ashtrays provide on alternative chair arms such
that each chair
may have access on one side to an ashtray and on the other side to a beverage
holder. Of
course, where chairs are located in a non-smoking area, then ashtrays would
not be provided.
[0055] Reference is made to Figure 7 which shows in cross-section not only the
chair
arm 14 but also the relative location of the sheet 96 of metal forming the
chair seat and the
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seat pad 99 disposed thereover. As seen, the seat pad 99 provides an upper
surface 105 of the
seat of the chair which is disposed at a height above the upper surface 15 of
the cup support
portion 18. This is advantageous such that insofar as there may be any
inadvertent spillage
of materials such as liquid or ashes from a container received within the cup
ring member 32,
there is an increased probability that such materials will fall vertically
downward or will flow
to the cup support portion 18 rather than onto the upper surface 105 of the
chair seat. Thus,
even if materials may be spilled above the cup support portion 18, the
location of the cup
support portion 18 at a height below the upper surface 105 of the seat will
permit continued
use of the seat 12. As seen in the top view in Figure 2, each of the seat pads
99 have a lateral
periphery defined by their side surfaces 106 and the cup ring member 32
preferably does not
extend laterally beyond these side surfaces 106 of the chair seat pads 99.
This can be
advantageous towards reducing the probability of materials spilled coming to
be on the chair
seat. Further with the cup support portion 18 having a width laterally, as
seen in Figure 2,
less than the spacing between the side surfaces 106 of the chair seats, gaps
107 are provided
between the cup support portion 18 and the side surfaces 106 extending
vertically from above
the upper surface 105 to below the cup support portion 18 which permit any
spilled materials
to pass downwardly off the chair arm 14 to the floor.
[0056] As seen in side view in Figure 7, the ring and bracket member 30
extends
forwardly from the bridging member 20, however, does not extend forwardly past
a forward
end 109 of the front hook portion 16 or the forward edge 108 of the chair seat
pad 99. This is
advantageous to reduce the likelihood of a person or persons walking laterally
in front of the
chair seating structure 10 from engaging and catching on or breaking the ring
and bracket
member 30. As seen in Figure 7, the ring member 32 is located on the bridge
portion 20 at a
height intermediate the cup support portion 18 and the arm rest portion 22.
This is
advantageous as it provides a convenient height for a person with an arm
resting on the arm
rest portion 22 to engage a beverage container received in the ring member 32.
The ring and
bracket member 30 is disposed below the arm rest portion 22 to assist in
reducing the extent
to which the ring and bracket member 30 may be caught or engaged on a person
sitting down
or rising up from a chair 12.
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[0057] As seen in top view in Figure 2 and in side view in Figure 8, the seat
pads have
lateral peripheries defined by their side surfaces 106 which are laterally to
the side of the cup
support portion 18 and which can be of assistance in preventing a lower end of
a container
from being moved sideways sufficiently off the cup support portion 18.
Therefore, a
container whose lower end has dimensions not less than the lateral width of
the gaps 107 will
not be able to be placed in an orientation that it may fall through the gap to
one side of the
cup support portion 18.
[0058] While not shown, a modified chair arm 14 may be provided having a
configuration
identical to that shown, however, without the ring and bracket member 30 and
still have a
pleasing appearance and full functionality other than in respect of supporting
a container.
[0059] The preferred embodiments show one preferred seating structure for a
chair
incorporating the present invention. It is to be appreciated, however, that a
chair arm and/or
chair in the course of the present invention may have different support
structures and
configurations.
[0060] The preferred embodiments illustrate the arm rest portions and cup
support
portions as being horizontal. This is not necessary and is to be appreciated
that arm support
portions and/or cup support portions which may be disposed at angles to the
horizontal or to
be formed by curving surfaces within the scope of the present invention.
Similarly, the
bridging portion has been shown to be a straight linear member and this is not
necessary.
[0061] Each of the preferred embodiments illustrates the ring and bracket
member 30 as
being supported on the bridging portion. This is not necessary. In accordance
with the
present invention, the cup ring member needs to be supported above a cup
support portion
and may be supported by any means from the remainder of the chair structure
and its
framework.
[0062] In the preferred embodiments, the cup ring member 32 has been shown to
have a
general circular configuration. This is not necessary, the opening through the
ring member
may be of any desired shape including ovals, shapes with curves and linear
portions and any
other shapes whether square or rectangular or oblong and the like which are
adapted to
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provide sizing and spacing complementary to containers and ashtrays to be
engaged
therewith.
[0063] The cup ring member 32 is shown to be a continuous annular member,
however,
this is not necessary as the ring member preferably provides surfaces about
the circumference
of a container to be received therein to reasonably constrain lateral movement
of the
container to preferably being above the cup support surface.
[0064] The cup ring member 32 is preferably shown as being mounted in a
cantilevered
manner from the bridging portion, however, again this is not necessary.
[0065] Each chair arm 14 has been shown as having a relatively small width
laterally
between the chairs 12. The width of the chair arm 14 may be increased if
desired to any
width such as, for example, to about twelve inches to provide a wider arm rest
as to
accommodate simultaneously the arms of two persons on adjacent chairs and with
two ring
and bracket members 30, one adjacent each chair 12. In such an arrangement
with an
enlarged lateral spacing between the chairs 12, the arm rest may be replaced
by a table,
possibly at a lower height than the typical height arm rest shown, but
preferably not higher
than the ring and bracket members 30.
[0066] While the invention has been described with reference to preferred
embodiments,
many modifications and variations will now occur to a person skilled in the
art. For a
definition of the invention, reference is made to the following claims.
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