ARMREST ASSEMBLY WITH ARMREST MOVEABLE BETWEEN EGRESS POSITION AND USE POSITION AND VEHICLE SEAT WITH MOVEABLE ARMREST
20220266733 ยท 2022-08-25
Assignee
Inventors
- Brent D. BURTON (Windsor, ON, CA)
- Nathan A. CARUSS (Ann Arbor, MI, US)
- Michael J. KAPUSKY (South Lyon, MI, US)
- Eric B. MICHALAK (Canton, MI, US)
Cpc classification
B60N2/02253
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60N2/753
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
An armrest assembly for connection to a seat cushion assembly, the armrest assembly may have an armrest body, an armrest support supporting the armrest body, an armrest positioning device, a backrest connection interface for connection with a backrest frame and an actuator for actuating the movement between a down position and an up position of the armrest body. A vehicle seat may have the seat cushion assembly, a backrest having the backrest frame, a base backrest pivot connection between the seat base and the backrest pivotably connecting the seat base to the backrest and the armrest assembly connected to the seat cushion assembly.
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. An armrest assembly for connection to a seat cushion assembly, the armrest assembly comprising: an armrest body; an armrest support supporting the armrest body; an armrest positioning device connected to the armrest support, the armrest positioning device adapted to raise and lower the armrest body between a down position and an up position and also for setting an inclination angle of the armrest body, at least based on an inclination angle of a backrest frame, the armrest positioning device comprising: a seat base connection interface for connection with the seat cushion assembly; a backrest connection interface for connection with a backrest frame; an armrest adjustment arrangement connected to each of the seat base connection interface, the backrest connection interface and the armrest support for raising and lowering the armrest body and changing an inclination angle thereof based on an inclination angle of at least the backrest frame; and an actuator for actuating the movement between the down position and the up position.
14. The armrest assembly according to claim 13, wherein the actuator comprises a linearly moveable slider member, slidably mounted on the seat base connection interface; the armrest adjustment arrangement comprises a scissor mechanism with a slide connection to the armrest support, a pivot connection to the armrest support, a pivot connection with the slider member and a pivot connection with the backrest connection interface or with the backrest connection interface and the seat base connection interface.
15. The armrest assembly according to claim 14, wherein the actuator comprises a power drive comprising the linearly moveable slider member supported to be moveable between a down position and an up position; and a power transmission arrangement and a motor drive, driving the linearly moveable slider member, via the power transmission arrangement between the down position and the up position.
16. The armrest assembly according to claim 14, wherein the actuator comprises a manually actuatable drive arrangement comprising the linearly moveable slider; a biasing spring biasing the slider toward the up or the down position; a lock member to lock the slider in a position.
17. The armrest assembly according to claim 16, wherein the lock member comprises a locking pin carried by the linearly moveable slider; and a pin guide and locking plate connected to the seat base connection interface for locking the locking pin in the up position and guiding the locking pin to a down position.
18. The armrest assembly according to claim 14, wherein the backrest connection interface forms a part of a four bar or more than four bar linkage.
19. A vehicle seat comprising: a seat cushion assembly; a backrest comprising a backrest frame; a base backrest pivot connection between the seat base and the backrest pivotably connecting the seat base to the backrest; and an armrest assembly connected to the seat cushion assembly, the armrest assembly comprising: an armrest body; an armrest support supporting the armrest body; an armrest positioning device connected to the armrest support, the armrest positioning device adapted to raise and lower the armrest body between a down position and an up position and also for setting an inclination angle of the armrest body, at least based on an inclination angle of the backrest frame of the backrest, the armrest positioning device comprising: a seat base connection interface for connection with the seat cushion assembly; a backrest connection interface for connection with the backrest frame; an armrest adjustment arrangement connected to each of the seat base connection interface, the backrest connection interface and the armrest support for raising and lowering the armrest body and changing an inclination angle thereof based on an inclination angle of at least the backrest frame; and an actuator for actuating the movement between the down position and the up position.
20. The vehicle seat according to claim 19, wherein the actuator comprises a linearly moveable slider member, slidably mounted on the connection interface; the armrest adjustment arrangement comprises a scissor mechanism with a slide connection to the armrest support, a pivot connection to the armrest support, a pivot connection with the slider member and a pivot connection with the backrest connection interface or with the backrest connection interface and the seat base connection interface.
21. The vehicle seat according to claim 19, wherein the actuator comprises a power drive comprising the linearly moveable slider member supported to be moveable between a down position and an up position; and a power transmission arrangement and a motor drive, driving the linearly moveable slider member, via the power transmission arrangement between the down position and the up position.
22. The vehicle seat according to claim 20, wherein the actuator comprises manually actuatable drive arrangement comprising the linearly moveable slider; a biasing spring biasing the slider toward the up or down position; and a lock member to lock the slider in a position.
23. The vehicle seat according to claim 22, wherein the lock member comprises a locking pin carried by the linearly moveable slider; and a pin guide an locking plate connected to the seat base connection interface for locking the locking pin in the up position and guiding the locking pin to a down position.
24. The vehicle seat according to claim 20, wherein the backrest connection interface forms a part of a four bar or more than four bar linkage.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES AND THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to advantageous exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the figures. However, the invention is not restricted to this exemplary embodiments. In the figures:
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[0046] Referring to the drawings, in particular
[0047] In
[0048] In the preferred embodiments the armrest positioning means 8 comprises inter alia an armrest adjustment arrangement 22 in the form of a scissor mechanism for raising and lowering the armrest body 20 and changing an inclination angle thereof based on an inclination angle of at least the backrest frame 24. The armrest adjustment arrangement 22 acts between a seat base connection interface 4 for connection with a seat cushion assembly 10, such as at the cushion frame 16, and an armrest support 21, to raise and lower and position the armrest body 20 (see e.g.,
[0049]
[0050] In
[0051] The vehicle seat 5 is a slouch seat in which a change in angular position of the backrest frame 24 is associated with a change in angular position and/or longitudinal position of the seat cushion arrangement 10. With a configuration of the backrest connection interface 7 and the connection of the backrest connection interface 7 to the cushion assembly 10 and to the adjustment arrangement 22, the angular position of the armrest body 20 changes, particularly based on a change in the angular position of the backrest 24.
[0052] The kinematics of motion is established based on the pivot end 32 being connected to linkage members including the link arm 33. The backrest frame 24 has a pivot connection 34 connected by a link arm 35 to the seat base frame 16 at a pivot connection 36. Additionally, the backrest frame 24 is connected at pivot connection 37 to the link arm 33. The link arm 33 is in turn connected at pivot connection 38 to link arm 40 which is in turn pivotally connection to the seat cushion frame 16 at pivot connection 41. This connection of the backrest frame 24 to the link arm 35 and to the cushion frame 16 as well as the connection of the backrest frame 24 to the link arm 33 and the link arm 40 to the cushion frame 16 sets the kinematics of the relative movement of the backrest frame 24 and the seat cushion arrangement 10 as the backrest 2 and the seat cushion arrangement 10 move between the design position and a full slouch position. The connection of the scissor mechanism 22, with the pivot end 32 of link arm 28 at a location along a length of link arm 33, allows the angle of armrest body 20 to change along with the changes in angular position of the backrest frame 24 and the change in position of the seat cushion assembly 10. This allows the angle of the armrest body 20 to be coordinated with the angle of the backrest frame 24 and/or the angle of the seat cushion 12/seat cushion assembly 10. In this regard it is noted that the armrest adjustment arrangement 22 is not limited to a slouch seat arrangement and the scissor mechanism of the armrest adjustment arrangement 22 can also be connected by the backrest connection interface 7 to the backrest 24 such that the angle of the armrest body 20 only follows the pivoting motion of the backrest 2, thereby changing an angular position of the armrest body 20, only based on the angular position of the backrest frame 24.
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[0056] The worm gear 50 is in turn driven in the axial direction based on a power transmission arrangement 52, including a worm drive gear 54. The worm drive 54 includes an inner threaded surface engaging the threads on the worm gear 50, to move the worm gear 50 axially upon rotation of the worm drive gear 54. The worm drive gear 54 includes exterior gearing to engage with a lead screw 56 that is part of a lead screw assembly 58 (
[0057] Advantageously, the vehicle seat 5 may include an armrest assembly 6, with armrest body 20, at each side of the cushion assembly 10 with essentially the same armrest adjustment arrangement 22 and the same actuator 9 with the power drive 30 having another motor, in particular a horizontal motor 66. Depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor 62 and motor 66, the associated slider 31 moves to move the respective armrest body 20. The power drive 30 further includes a constant force return spring 39 comprising a coil spring connected to the rail 43 and to the slider 31. The force return spring 39 biases the slider 31 toward the down position.
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[0059] The link arm 28 includes the upper pivot end 25 that slides within the slot 19 between the two extreme positions and includes the pivot joint end 32 pivotably connected to the link arm 33. The link arm 26 includes the upper pivot end 23 and the pivot joint end 29 which is driven by the manually actuatable drive arrangement 70. In a manner which is essentially identical to the embodiment of
[0060] With the embodiment of
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[0063] The slider assembly 71 carries a constant force return spring 74. Return spring 74 is a coil spring mounted on a coil spring support 75 of the slider assembly 71. The coil spring 74 has a fixed end 76 that is fixed to a pin guide and locking plate 77. The slider assembly 71 carries a dampener 78 which interacts with a toothed rack 79 of the locking plate 77. The dampener 78 and toothed rack 79 configuration regulates the speed of motion of the slider assembly 71 along the rail 73 by dampening the action/force provided by the coil spring 74. The slider assembly 71 also carries a push lock and release member 80 (lock member 80) which can be moved laterally between two extreme positions shown in
[0064] The locking member 80 includes a locking pin 82 which interacts with guide and locking surfaces that form a pin slot 86 of the locking plate 77. The surfaces that interact with the pin 82 include a locking notch 83 with an adjacent unlocking incline 84 as well as a return guide surface 85 and a return guide surface 87. The lock and release member 80, that carries the locking pin 82 is biased toward the upper position (
[0065] In operation, the coil spring 74 biases the armrest assembly 6 such that the armrest support 21 (carrying the armrest body 20) is in the down (egress) position. Features of the drive 70 in the down position are shown in
[0066] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0067] 2 backrest [0068] 4 seat base connection interface [0069] 5 vehicle seat [0070] 6 armrest assembly [0071] 7 backrest connection interface [0072] 8 armrest positioning means [0073] 9 actuator [0074] 10 cushion assembly [0075] 12 cushion member [0076] 14 side trim [0077] 16 cushion frame [0078] 18 longitudinal adjustment arrangement [0079] 19 guide slot [0080] 20 armrest body [0081] 21 armrest support [0082] 22 armrest adjustment arrangement [0083] 23 upper pivot end, pivot connection [0084] 24 backrest frame [0085] 25 upper pivot end [0086] 26 link arm [0087] 27 pivot joint [0088] 28 link arm [0089] 29 pivot joint end, pivot connection [0090] 30 power drive [0091] 31 slider member [0092] 32 pivot joint end, pivot connection [0093] 33 link arm [0094] 34 pivot connection [0095] 35 link arm [0096] 36 pivot connection [0097] 37 pivot connection [0098] 38 pivot connection [0099] 39 constant force return spring [0100] 40 link arm [0101] 41 pivot connection [0102] 42 rail and slide assembly [0103] 43 rail [0104] 45 coupling member [0105] 46 connection slot [0106] 48 bolt [0107] 50 worm gear [0108] 52 power transmission arrangement [0109] 54 worm drive gear [0110] 56 lead screw [0111] 58 lead screw assembly [0112] 60 driven shaft [0113] 62 horizontal motor [0114] 64 horizontal motor assembly [0115] 66 second armrest horizontal motor [0116] 70 manually actuatable drive arrangement [0117] 71 slider assembly [0118] 72 slider member [0119] 73 rail [0120] 74 return spring [0121] 75 coil spring support [0122] 76 coil spring fixed end [0123] 77 locking/pin guide plate [0124] 78 dampener [0125] 79 toothed rack [0126] 80 lock and release member (lock member) [0127] 82 locking pin [0128] 83 locking notch [0129] 84 unlocking incline [0130] 85 return guide [0131] 86 pin slot [0132] 87 return guide