Talk:Armrest

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I always thought armrests were not only in cars but rather on chairs in general. --80.179.206.193 (talk) 08:39, 9 June 2009 (UTC)

Absolutely. But the only reason this article is here (and considered "notable" enough to be here, which is a bit dubious) is that it's part of a series of articles about car parts. If you would like to expand it to include other kinds, please help Wikipedia grow by doing so, although I suspect it might be challenged as non-notable and you might find yourself being asked to justify its inclusion. – Kieran T ^(talk) 10:54, 9 June 2009 (UTC)

Rename

This article only talks about armrests in cars. Could the name be changed to something that reflects that better? May be even just Armrest (cars). KingOreo123 (talk) 20:23, 23 August 2020 (UTC)

Removed proposed deletion

I am removing the proposed deletion based on these sources:

1. Source that discusses the history of furniture including armrests from Ancient Egypt to 19th-century Europe:
   1. Blakemore, Robbie G. (1997). History of Interior Design and Furniture: From Ancient Egypt to Nineteenth-Century Europe. New York: Wiley. ISBN 0-471-28676-1.

      Regarding "the Eighteenth Dynasty (1580–1314 B.C.)", the book notes on page 17: "If arms were added they had armrests that were parallel with the floor and arm supports that were placed on the side rail, but short of the front seat rail. The space under the armrest was often filled with symbolic motifs and could be open or solid. ... Arms, when employed, were either solid or featured open-work designs. Arm supports were essentially parallel with the floor and the arm rest originated from the side seat rail, short of the front seat rail. Inlay and applications of precious sheet metal were frequently utilized."

      The book notes on page 35: "The thronos often had armrests, but there were also armless versions. At times terminating in a ram’s head, the armrest was apparently placed low on the stiles of the back. The sphinx was occasionally used for the arm support."

      The book notes on page 96 regarding the Dante chair in the medieval period: "The curule in the front continued to form the arm support while behind it extended as uprights of the back. Armrests, usually ending in a whorl and extending beyond the arm supports, were parallel to the floor. ... Also a folding chair, the Savonarola ... Armrests and stretchers were treated in a manner typical of the Dante chair."

      The book notes on pages 111–112: "Francis I. ... armrests parallel with the floor and enclosed underneath; ... Henry II. ... Armrests sometimes had a downward curve, often extending beyond the uprights and ending in scrolls or rams’ heads; the arm supports (sometimes in cyma profile) rose above the legs. ... The caquetoire ... shaped armrests (an aerial view would reveal outward-curving shapes for each)."

      The book notes on pages 131–132: "The wainscot was an open arm chair in which the armrests (essentially parallel with the floor) extended beyond the arm supports, often ending in a whorl. The arm supports were continuations of the legs. ... Hackets ... Armrests in this style tended to drop in the front rather than remaining parallel with the floor, as in the Elizabethan period."

      The book notes on pages 152–153: "Armchairs (sedia) with high backs, primarily rectangular, were constructed through the 17th century. ... The emphasis is on carved and turned members for stretchers, arm supports, and finials. Armrests that have deeply carved endings with downward curves extend beyond the arm supports, which rise directly above the legs. Spiral turnings for the stretchers and the arm supports are interrupted by blocked sections at intersecting structural points."

      The book notes on pages 169–170: "Armchairs (fauteuil) had armrests that were essentially parallel with the floor. Some armrests were straight while others formed a downward curve. The armrests extended beyond the arm supports, where they ended with such decorative ornaments as whorls, lions’ heads, and rams’ heads although some had a simple turned button ending. Arm supports were continuations of the legs. ... Louis XIV. ... A typical high-backed armchair ... arm supports in a cyma curve rising directly above the legs; armrests that in outline have a downward curve originating on the stile of the back and extend in bold whorls beyond the arm supports; ... The walnut chair ... The armrest and arm support form one continuous curve beginning above the leg. ... Other changes over the period of the late 17th century were that arm pads began to be introduced ..."

      The book notes on page 198: "Charles II. ... The armrests of rounded section were gracefully shaped with a hollow downward curve; carved scrolled ends extended beyond the arm support and curved outward. Originating above the legs, the arm support was often a double-C, S-shape, or a turned continuation of the leg."

      The book notes on page 199 regarding "chairs of the William and Mary style": "Armrests extended beyond the arm supports in volutes with a pronounced outward turn, termed ram’s horn (see Figure 10-19)."

      The book notes on page 219 regarding the "Régence style of chair": "Arm elements began to curve. The arm supports were set back on the side seat rail by approximately one quarter of its length and at times a manchette (arm pad) was added to the armrest. ... Louis XV. ... Curved arm supports were set back on the side seat rail, and the armrests of armchairs usually had upholstered manchettes."

      The book notes on page 250 regarding the Queen Anne chairs: "Both open armchairs and side chairs were constructed in the Queen Anne style. The arm supports originated from the side seat rail set a few inches back. Scroll-over arms extended beyond the supports. An aeriel view would reveal the convex curve of the armrest. Later the armrest extended beyond the support and ended in a volute or scroll."

      The book notes on page 274–276 regarding Louis XVI furniture: "Armrests were usually in one of two configurations: (1) horizontal in position, or (2) joining the back with a down-sweeping curve, becoming level, and extending approximately two thirds the length of the side seat rail. Customarily, upholstered manchettes were utilized (see Figure 13-11). The terminus of the armrest was frequently a whorl that extended slightly beyond the arm support. Usually the arm support (typically rectangular in cross section) originated above the leg and swept back in a curve to join the armrest. Alternatively, a vase-shaped support originated from the side seat rail and occasionally a terminal figure positioned above the leg arose vertically above the seat rail."

      The book notes on page 301 regarding Hepplewhite furniture: "arm supports originated above the legs and curves back to meet the armrests."

      The book notes on page 304 regarding Sheraton chairs: "Armrests sometimes curved downward, originating almost from the cresting of the back; others were straight and rested on incurved arm supports. Some arm supports were reeded vase shapes. Arm supports originated above the legs or from the side seat rail."

      The book notes on pages 318–319 about furniture dudring the Directoire period: "Terminus forms for armrests often had animal heads such as lions, rams, and eagles, although more simple endings were also used. Arm supports included the frequently used baluster or colonnette. In addition, important support forms were the sphinx, swan, and griffin. ... vase—shaped arm support that continues from the leg; the use of an arm pad which softly flows into the armrest."

      The book notes on page 321 regarding the Empire style: "Armrests were essentially parallel with the floor and when a manchette was incorporated it was stiffly conceived. For the arms various elements were used, such as mythological figures (swans, griffins, sphinxes); human forms (caryatids, terms); architectural elements (columns); and cornucopias. Arm supports were often a continuation of the front legs uninterrupted at the seat rail; their form could be lion monopodia, caryatids, swans, eagles, terminal figures, etc."

      The rest of the book further discusses arm supports and armrests.

2. Sources about armrests on airplanes:
   1. Elliott, Christopher (2020-09-18). "As airlines begin selling middle seats again, it's time to remember nobody owns the armrests". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2024-10-13.

      The article notes: "If you're stuck in the middle seat, you might be wondering who owns the armrests on a plane. Here's a hint: It's not you. Oh, I know the conventional wisdom says that if you're in a middle seat, you own the armrests. But as economy class seats shrink, and as the pandemic lingers, it's increasingly clear that the conventional wisdom is totally wrong. The economy class cabin is a shared space -- and getting access to a coveted parking spot for your elbows often means thoughtful negotiation, having some compassion, and compromise. "The middle seat armrests belong to no one," says airline analyst Timothy O’Neil-Dunne. "It's common space and you better treat it that way.""

   2. Cerullo, Megan (2023-11-17). "On an airplane, which passenger gets the armrests?". CBS News. Archived from the original on 2024-10-13. Retrieved 2024-10-13.

      The article notes: "But compounding the space issue is that there are no formal or clear-cut rules around which passenger is entitled to the two armrests that straddle the middle seat. Airlines don't address the issue in writing or in safety demonstration videos before take off, leaving passengers to negotiate the shared space with little guidance. ... For example, ultra-courteous passengers could empathetically view the debate from the perspective of the passenger in the middle seat, who is, after all, the most cramped. The window-seat occupant can lean into the window, while aisle passengers can stretch their legs."

   3. Heath, Elizabeth (2024-09-16). "Here's Who Should Get the Middle-Seat Armrests on Planes". Reader's Digest. Archived from the original on 2024-10-13. Retrieved 2024-10-13.

      The article notes: "And while flying may feel like a combat sport, here’s one fight we can help you avoid: the debate over airplane armrest etiquette and who gets to claim those middle seat armrests. ... “I can’t imagine a solo traveler intentionally choosing a middle seat,” says Pauline Frommer, travel journalist and co-president of Frommer’s Travel. “They’re there because there were no other seats available.” So according to Frommer and the other pros we spoke to, a little empathy is in order. And yes, that means the middle-seat passenger gets both armrests."

3. Other sources:
   1. Hara, Yosuke; Goto, Tetsuya; Okamoto, Jun; Okuda, Hideiki; Iseki, Horshi; Hongo, Kazuhiro (2015). "An Armrest is Effective for Reducing Hand Tremble in Neurosurgeons". Neurologia medico-chirurgica. Vol. 55, no. 4. doi:10.2176/nmc.oa.2014-0384. ISSN 0470-8105.

      The study notes: "Experienced neurosurgeons reduce hand tremble by placing their hand beside the operative field when performing microneurosurgery conventionally. Another solution to reduce hand tremble is an armrest. However, the reduction of hand tremble by using an armrest or finger-placing technique has not been rigorously measured in microneurosurgery. This study was performed to provide a quantitative assessment of the efficacy of an armrest to reduce hand tremble in comparison with the finger-placing technique."

Cunard (talk) 22:54, 13 October 2024 (UTC)