Chair with foldable armrests

Abstract

A chair includes a base frame, a seat frame mounted on the base frame, a backrest frame mounted movably on the base frame and having a front end connected pivotally to a rear end of the seat frame, and left and right armrest frames which can be folded and unfolded independently. Each of the armrest frames includes front and rear pivot assemblies provided on the base frame, front and rear arm supports having bottom ends connected pivotally and respectively to the front and rear pivot assemblies, and an armrest member connected pivotally to top ends of the front and rear arm supports. The front and rear arm supports pivot forwardly and downwardly and pivot upwardly and rearwardly when the left or right armrest frame is moved to folded and unfolded positions, respectively.

1 . A chair comprising: 
 a longitudinal base frame having front and rear ends, and front and rear legs extending downwardly and respectively from said front and rear ends;    a seat frame mounted on said base frame, and having a front end extending toward said front end of said base frame, and a rear end opposite to said front end of said seat frame;    a backrest frame mounted movably on said base frame, and having a front end connected pivotally to said rear end of said seat frame, said backrest frame being turnable forwardly and upwardly about said front end of said backrest frame; and    left and right armrest frames which are separated from each other and which can be folded and unfolded independently, each of said left and right armrest frames including a front pivot assembly and a rear pivot assembly both provided on said base frame, front and rear arm supports having bottom ends connected pivotally and respectively to said front and rear pivot assemblies, and an armrest member connected pivotally to top ends of said front and rear arm supports;    said front and rear arm supports pivoting forwardly and downwardly when said left or right armrest frame is moved to a folded position, said front and rear arm supports pivoting upwardly and rearwardly when said left or right armrest frame is moved to an unfolded position from said folded position.    
   
   
       2 . The chair of  claim 1 , further comprising a left limiting unit and a right limiting unit, each of said left and right limiting units including front and rear limiting elements projecting sideward and respectively from said seat frame and said base frame for limiting rearward movement of said front and rear arm supports, respectively, in said unfolded position.  
   
   
       3 . The chair of  claim 2 , wherein said front limiting element has a groove for receiving said front arm support.  
   
   
       4 . The chair of  claim 2 , wherein each of said front and rear limiting elements has a groove for receiving a corresponding one of said front and rear arm supports.  
   
   
       5 . The chair of  claim 2 , wherein said front arm support has a first hollow protrusion formed on said bottom end of said front arm support, said seat frame having a first hollow tube projecting sideward from said seat frame, said first hollow protrusion being substantially aligned with said first hollow tube, said front pivot assembly being inserted into said first hollow tube and said first hollow protrusion.  
   
   
       6 . The chair of  claim 5 , wherein said rear arm support has a second hollow protrusion formed on said bottom end of said rear arm support, said base frame further having a second hollow tube connected to a bottom portion of said base frame, said second hollow protrusion being substantially aligned with said second hollow tube, said rear pivot assembly being inserted into said second hollow tube and said second hollow protrusion.  
   
   
       7 . The chair of  claim 6 , wherein each of said front and rear pivot assemblies includes a pivot member inserted rotatably into one of said first and second hollow tubes, and a coupling member having one end inserted rotatably into said one of said first and second hollow tubes and integrally connected to said pivot member, and another end inserted fixedly into one of said first and second hollow protrusions.  
   
   
       8 . The chair of  claim 6 , wherein said front limiting element is located above and rearward of said first hollow tube, and said rear limiting element is located above and rearward of said second hollow tube.