The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 22, 1997
Filed:
Feb. 16, 1996
Ken A Beggs, Waterloo, CA;
Northfield Metal Products Ltd., Ontario, CA;
Abstract
An adjusting mechanism for adjusting the position of a first structural member relative to a second structural member. The mechanism is particularly well suited for use as a mechanism for adjusting the vertical or lateral position of a chair back or armrest relative to a chair seat and is adapted for one-handed adjustment. The adjustment mechanism has an arm mountable to a first structural member and slider securable to a second structural member that slidably engages the arm. A ratchet rack is on the arm and a pawl is supported by the slider, which is adapted to engage the ratchet rack, permitting only one direction movement of the slider along the arm. One of the pawl and slider has a cam guide, which has a portion substantially transverse to the ratchet rack and a portion extending from the substantially transverse portion in a direction substantially parallel to the rack. The other of the slider and the pawl has a cam follower extending therefrom. The cam follower, slidably engages the cam guide. A biasing member resiliently pushes the pawl into engagement with the ratchet rack, and forces the cam along the substantially transverse portion of the cam guide, away from the substantially parallel portion of the cam guide. One of the arm and the paw has a first camming surface, the other of the arm and pawl has a first abutting surface. When the pawl first surface is pushed into abutment with the arm first surface, the cam follower is forced along the substantially transverse portion of the cam guide into the substantially parallel portion of the cam guide. The pawl is then disengaged from the ratchet rack, thereby allowing bi-direction motion of the slider along the arm. The arm has a second surface such that when the pawl is pushed into abutment with the second surface of the arm, the cam follower is pushed into the horizontal portion of the cam guide, re-engaging the pawl and ratchet rack.