Folding Chair Armrest with Integrated Cup Holder

Abstract

An armrest assembly for use on a folding chair. The armrest assembly has a molded plastic body with a top surface upon which a person's arm rests. The molded plastic body has an underside that is reinforced by support ribs for strength. The molded plastic body of the armrest assembly is molded in two parts. A first body section is molded of a first material and a second body section is molded of a second material. The first material is a rigid plastic material. The second material is a flexible plastic material. The second body section of flexible plastic material is overmolded onto the first body section of the rigid plastic material. A cup holder construct is formed into the armrest assembly. The cup holder construct is formed in part of the rigid plastic material and in part by the flexible plastic material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An armrest assembly for a folding chair, comprising:
 a molded two-part plastic body having a first body section of a first material and a second body section of a second material, wherein said second body section is overmolded onto said first body section; and   a cup holder construct formed into said armrest assembly, wherein said cup holder construct is formed in part of said first material of said first body section and in part by said second material of said second body section.   
     
     
         2 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said first material is a rigid plastic and said second material is an elastomeric plastic. 
     
     
         3 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said cup holder construct has a ring structure that defines an opening, and an underlying receptacle, wherein said ring structure is part of said second body section and said receptacle is part of said first body section. 
     
     
         4 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 3 , further including a plurality of tabs that extend inwardly from said ring structure. 
     
     
         5 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said plurality of tabs are integrally molded as part of said ring structure from said second material. 
     
     
         6 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said ring structure has an inside diameter and each of said plurality of tabs extends inwardly from said ring structure by a distance at least as great as twenty percent of said inside diameter. 
     
     
         7 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 1 , further including a relief formed into said first body section of said molded two-part plastic body, wherein said second body section is overmolded onto said first body section within said relief. 
     
     
         8 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 7 , further including locking fins that extend from said first body section within said relief, wherein said second material of said second body section molds around said locking fins, therein creating a mechanical interconnection between said first body section and said second body section. 
     
     
         9 . An armrest assembly for a folding chair, comprising:
 a first body section molded of a rigid material;   a second body section molded of a flexible material, wherein said second body section is overmolded onto said first body section; and   a cup holder construct formed into said armrest assembly, wherein said cup holder construct has an open top and a base, wherein said open top of said cup holder construct is part of said second body section and said base of said cup holder construct is part of said first body section.   
     
     
         10 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said flexible material is a thermoplastic rubber. 
     
     
         11 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said open top of said cup holder construct is defined by a ring structure, wherein said ring structure is part of said second body section. 
     
     
         12 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 11 , further including a plurality of tabs that extend inwardly from said ring structure. 
     
     
         13 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein said plurality of tabs are integrally molded as part of said ring structure from said flexible material. 
     
     
         14 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein said ring structure has an inside diameter and each of said plurality of tabs extends inwardly from said ring structure by a distance at least as great as twenty percent of said inside diameter. 
     
     
         15 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 9 , further including a relief formed into said first body section, wherein said second body section is overmolded onto said first body section within said relief. 
     
     
         16 . The armrest assembly according to  claim 15 , further including locking fins that extend from said first body section within said relief, wherein said flexible material of said second body section molds around said locking fins, therein creating a mechanical interconnection between said first body section and said second body section.