Self-leveling tablet mechanism for a chair
A self-leveling mechanism for an article mounted to a chair is disclosed. The chair has an arm member movable from a first position to a second position that is reclined with respect to the first position. The article has an upper surface having an angular relationship with respect to the support surface on which the chair rests. The mechanism includes a pivot member that mounts the article to the movable arm member of the chair. The movable arm member pivots with respect to the pivot member to keep the angular relationship between the support surface and an upper surface of the article the same without manual adjustment of the pivot member by a user when the movable arm member is moved from the first position to the second position. The mechanism can maintain items on a tablet mounted to the armrest during reclining action by keeping the tablet horizontal.
1 . A chair comprising:
a base for supporting the chair on a support surface;
a seat supported by the base;
an arm member supported by and movable with respect to the base, the arm member being movable from a first position to a second position, the second position being reclined with respect to the first position;
an article mounted to the arm member, the article having an upper surface, the upper surface of the article having an angular relationship with respect to the support surface; and
leveling means attached to the article, the leveling means keeping the angular relationship between the support surface and the upper surface of the article the same without manual adjustment when the movable arm member is in the first position or the second position.
2 . The chair of claim 1 wherein:
the article is a tablet.
3 . The chair of claim 1 wherein:
the leveling means comprises a pivot member that mounts the article to the movable arm member, the movable arm member pivoting with respect to the pivot member to keep the angular relationship between the support surface and the upper surface of the article the same when the movable arm member is moved from the first position to the second position.
4 . The chair of claim 3 wherein:
the pivot member has a hollow upper end, and
the article is mounted to the pivot member by a pin inserted in the upper end of the pivot member.
5 . The chair of claim 4 wherein:
the article is mounted to the pivot member by a pin inserted in a socket mounted in the upper end of the pivot member, and
the socket extends through a top surface of the movable arm member.
6 . The chair of claim 3 wherein:
the leveling means further comprises a linkage and a rotatable disc, the linkage being attached to the disc and to a bottom end of the pivot member, the disc moving the linkage in a direction away from the bottom end of the pivot member such that the movable arm member pivots with respect to the pivot member.
7 . The chair of claim 6 wherein:
the leveling means further comprises a stop that limits motion of the linkage in a direction away from the rotatable disc when the movable arm member is in the first position.
8 . The chair of claim 3 wherein:
the pivot member has at least one outwardly extending pin that rests on an upper surface of a frame member of the movable arm member such that the movable arm member pivots with respect to the pivot member.
9 . A self-leveling mechanism for an article mounted to a chair that rests on a support surface, the chair having an arm member movable from a first position to a second position, the second position being reclined with respect to the first position, the article having an upper surface having an angular relationship with respect to the support surface, the mechanism comprising:
a pivot member that mounts the article to the movable arm member of the chair, the movable arm member pivoting with respect to the pivot member to keep the angular relationship between the support surface and an upper surface of the article the same without manual adjustment of the pivot member when the movable arm member is moved from the first position to the second position.
10 . The mechanism of claim 9 wherein:
the pivot member has a hollow upper end, and the article is mounted to the pivot member by a pin inserted in the upper end of the pivot member.
11 . The mechanism of claim 10 wherein the pivot member extends through a top surface of the movable arm member.
12 . The mechanism of claim 9 further comprising:
a linkage and a rotatable disc, the linkage being attached to the disc and to a bottom end of the pivot member, the disc moving the linkage in a direction away from the bottom end of the pivot member such that the movable arm member pivots with respect to the pivot member.
13 . The mechanism of claim 12 further comprising:
a stop that limits motion of the linkage in a direction away from the rotatable disc when the movable arm member is in the first position.
14 . The mechanism of claim 9 wherein:
the pivot member has at least one outwardly extending pin that rests on an upper surface of a frame member of the movable arm member such that the movable arm member pivots with respect to the pivot member.
15 . A chair comprising:
a base for supporting the chair on a support surface;
a seat supported by the base;
an arm member supported by and movable with respect to the base, the arm member being movable from a first position to a second position, the second position being reclined with respect to the first position;
a tablet mounted on the chair, the tablet having an upper surface having an angular relationship with respect to the support surface; and
leveling means for keeping the angular relationship between the support surface and the upper surface of the tablet the same without manual adjustment when the movable arm member is in the first position or the second position.
16 . The chair of claim 15 wherein:
the leveling means comprises a pivot member that mounts the tablet to the chair, the pivot member pivoting to keep the angular relationship between the support surface and the upper surface of the tablet the same when the movable arm member is moved from the first position to the second position.
17 . The chair of claim 16 wherein:
the pivot member has a hollow upper end, and
the tablet is mounted to the pivot member by a pin inserted in the upper end of the pivot member.
18 . The chair of claim 17 wherein:
the tablet is mounted to the pivot member by a pin inserted in a socket mounted in the upper end of the pivot member.
19 . The chair of claim 18 wherein:
the socket extends through a top surface of the movable arm member.
20 . The chair of claim 16 wherein:
the leveling means further comprises a linkage and a rotatable disc, the linkage being attached to the disc and to a bottom end of the pivot member, the disc moving the linkage in a direction away from the bottom end of the pivot member rotating such that the movable arm member pivots with respect to the pivot member.