Armrest

Abstract

Armrest (10) comprising a base (19) and an arm (13) that can be moved by a mount (17) between at least one use position and a non-use position, wherein the arm (13) is movable by the mount (17) axially of a pivot axis (a) between a proximal and a distal position, and is pivotable about the pivot axis (a) between a primary and a secondary position, wherein the armrest (10) has an actuator (30) comprising a motor drive having a drive part (29) that is movable between a first and a second position in order to displace the arm (13) in a first direction (y.sub.1) between the non-use position and the use position, at least in part, wherein the actuator (30) has at least one spring (21) that can be tensioned upon movement of the drive part (29) or an additional drive part (29) of the actuator (30), wherein the arm (13) can be moved axially, in a second direction (y.sub.2) by the spring (21), which second direction is directed opposite the first direction (y.sub.1).

Claims

1. An armrest comprising: a base; an arm carrying a second guide tube; a mount supporting the arm on the base for movement angularly of a pivot axis between a use position and a non-use position, the arm being movable relative to the base by the mount axially of the pivot axis between an inner position and an outer position; a damper for damping at least a portion of movement of the arm from the non-use position into the use position; an axial guide track on the mount in which the second guide tube is movable axially; a first guide tube on the mount and engageable with the second guide tube; an angular guide track in which the second guide tube is movable angularly; an actuator motor having a drive part movable between a first and a second position in order to displace the arm in a first direction at least partially between the inner position and the outer position; a rotationally effective spring urging the arm from the non-use position into the use position; and an axially effective spring inside at least one of the first and second guide tubes and tensioned by axial movement of the drive part of the actuator motor, the arm being biased axially by the axially effective spring in a second direction opposite the first direction.

2. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein the first guide tube and the second guide tube are movable telescopically with respect to one another.

3. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein, on movement of the drive part between the first position and the second position, the second guide tube is displaced relative to the first guide tube between the inner position and the outer position.

4. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein the second guide tube has a stop face that interacts with a driving surface of the drive part such that the second guide tube is entrained when the drive part moves in a first direction and the second guide tube separates from the drive part on movement thereof in a second direction.

5. The armrest according to claim 1, further comprising: a latch for locking the second guide tube in the outer position.

6. The armrest according to claim 1, further comprising: a tension rod rigidly connected to the drive part of the actuator motor and a first spring end of the axially effective spring is supported on the tension rod.

7. The armrest according to claim 6, wherein the axially effective spring is tensioned by the tension rod when the drive part moves from the second position into the first position.

8. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein a second spring end of the axially effective spring is supported on a contact surface on the second guide tube.

9. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein the second guide tube is moved into the outer position when the drive part moves from the first position into the second position.

10. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein the actuator motor is effective linearly.

11. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein the axial guide track is an axially extending groove receiving the second guide tube and the angular guide track is a groove extending angularly from the axially extending groove and also receiving the second guide tube, whereby the second guide tube can move between the grooves.

12. An armrest comprising: a base; an arm carrying a second guide tube; a mount supporting the arm on the base for movement angularly of a pivot axis between a use position and a non-use position, the arm being movable relative to the base by the mount axially of the pivot axis between an inner position and an outer position and angularly about the pivot axis between a non-use and a use position; an axial guide track on the mount in which the second guide tube is movable axially; a first guide element on the mount and engageable with the second guide tube; an angular guide track in which the second guide tube is movable angularly; an actuator motor having a drive part movable between a first and a second position in order to displace the arm in a first direction at least partially between the inner position and the outer position, the second guide element having a stop face that interacts with a driving surface of the drive part such that the second guide element is entrained when the drive part moves in a first direction and the second guide element separates from the drive part on movement thereof in a second direction; a rotationally effective spring for urging the arm from one of the non-use and use positions into the other of the non-use and use positions; and an axially effective spring inside the tube and braced between the tube and the drive part tensioned by axial movement of the drive part of the actuator motor, the arm being movable axially by the axially effective spring in a second direction opposite the first direction.

13. An armrest comprising: a base; an arm carrying a second guide element; a mount supporting the arm on the base for movement angularly of a pivot axis between a use position and a non-use position, the arm being movable relative to the base by the mount axially of the pivot axis between an inner position and an outer position and angularly about the pivot axis between a non-use and a use position; an axial guide track on the mount in which the second guide element is movable axially; a first guide element on the mount and engageable with the second guide element; an angular guide track in which the second guide element is movable angularly; an actuator motor having a drive part movable between a first and a second position in order to displace the arm in a first direction at least partially between the inner position and the outer position, the second guide element having a stop face that interacts with a driving surface of the drive part such that the second guide element is entrained when the drive part moves in a first direction and the second guide element separates from the drive part on movement thereof in a second direction; a rotationally effective spring urging the arm from one of the non-use and use positions into the other of the non-use and use positions; and an axially effective spring tensioned by axial movement of the drive part of the actuator motor, the arm being movable axially by the axially effective spring in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) Further advantages of the invention can be seen with reference to an embodiment that is shown schematically in the figures. In said figures:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a backrest of a vehicle seat comprising an armrest according to the invention, wherein the armrest is in an up non-use position,

(3) FIG. 2 is a view of the backrest based on FIG. 1, wherein the arm is moved in the longitudinal direction of the pivot axis, from a inner position into an outer position,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the backrest based on FIG. 2, wherein the armrest is pivoted into a down use position,

(5) FIG. 4 is a plan view of the backrest according to FIG. 1,

(6) FIG. 5 is a plan view of the backrest according to FIG. 2,

(7) FIG. 6 is a plan view of the backrest according to FIG. 3,

(8) FIG. 7 is a sectional view according to the cutting line A-A in FIG. 4,

(9) FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the armrest according to the cutting line B-B in FIG. 5,

(10) FIG. 9 is a sectional view according to the cutting line C-C in FIG. 6,

(11) FIG. 10 is a sectional view according to the cutting line D-D in FIG. 4,

(12) FIG. 11 is a sectional view according to the cutting line E-E in FIG. 5,

(13) FIG. 12 is a sectional view according to the cutting line F-F in FIG. 6.

(14) The armrest is denoted overall in the figures by reference sign 10. The same reference signs in different figures denote corresponding parts, even if lower-case letters follow or are omitted.

(15) According to FIG. 1, the armrest 10 is fastened to the backrest 11 of a vehicle seat 12. A front face 49 of the backrest 11 faces in a forward direction x.sub.1. The direction x.sub.1 corresponds for example to the straight travel direction of the vehicle, while the rear face 15 of the backrest is oriented in the opposite rearward direction x.sub.2.

(16) The seating surface of the vehicle seat is not shown. In FIG. 1, the armrest 10 is in an inner non-use position, in which a lower face 14 of an arm 13 opposes the rear face 15 (not visible in FIG. 1) of the backrest 11 at least in part. According to the invention, in the FIG. 1 inner non-use position the arm 10 protrudes laterally only slightly, or not at all, beyond a side face 16 of the backrest 11.

(17) The arm 13 is movable axially of the longitudinal direction of a pivot axis a, in the directions y.sub.1 and y.sub.2, and pivots about the pivot axis a in angular directions u.sub.1 and u.sub.2 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). In order to move the arm 13 out of the inner non-use position shown in FIG. 1 and into a use position, the arm 13 is first moved axially, in the direction y.sub.1, out of an inner non-use position according to FIGS. 1 and 4 and into an outer non-use position according to FIGS. 2 and 5, until the lower face 14 is located entirely to the side of a side face 16 (see FIG. 2) of the seat back 11 and an opposite face 38 of the arm 13 faces rearward in direction x.sub.2. Subsequently, the arm 13 is pivoted about the pivot axis a in direction u.sub.1, into a down use position shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 in which the face 38 is directed upward and the face 14 downward.

(18) The arm 10 has a mount 17 (see FIG. 7) that guides the arm 13 in the longitudinal/axial direction of the pivot axis a between an inner position according to FIGS. 1 and 7 and an outer position according to FIGS. 2 and 8 on movement in direction y.sub.1 and y.sub.2, and that guides the arm 13 between a primary up position according to FIG. 8 and a secondary down position according to FIG. 9 on movement in the pivot directions u.sub.1 and u.sub.2.

(19) The mount 17 has a second guide element in the form of a sleeve 18 rigidly connected via an end piece of the sleeve 18 to the arm 13 by a fastener 26 and a nut 48, and a first guide element in the form of a sleeve 20 rigidly connected to a base 19. In this embodiment, the base 19 has a housing 37 that is rigidly connected to the structure of the backrest 11. The sleeves 18 and 20 are coaxial to the pivot axis a and relatively telescopically movable, i.e. the sleeve 18 is movable in direction y.sub.1 and y.sub.2 relative to the sleeve 20.

(20) In FIG. 7, a spring 21 of an actuator 30 is coaxial to the pivot axis a. One end 22 of the spring 21 is supported on a contact surface 41 of a profile element 43 of a tension rod 23 that is also part of the actuator 30. The tension rod 23 is rigidly connected to the drive part 29. Another spring end 24 of the spring 21 is supported on a stop face 25 that is rigidly connected to the sleeve 18. The sleeve 18 has a stop face 27 that, according to FIG. 7, interacts with a driving face 28 of the drive part 29 of the actuator 30.

(21) The profile element 43 is rotationally connected to the sleeve 18, for example by a spline shaft profile. In this way, pivoting of the arm 13 in direction u.sub.1 is damped by a damper 39. A driver 45 of the damper is rotationally connected to the profile element 43.

(22) FIG. 7 shows a spring 31 that urges the arm 13 in the pivot direction u.sub.1. The spring 31 is designed as a torsion spring and one spring end thereof is supported on the base 19, e.g. on the housing 37, and another spring end is supported on the sleeve 18.

(23) The actuator 30 is designed as a linear drive and has a motor 32 and a spindle 33. The spindle 33 is provided with an external thread 34 that is engaged in an internal thread 35 of a spindle nut 40 that is driven by the motor 32 and mounted on the motor 32. The motor 32 is rigidly connected to the drive part 29. The spindle 33 is mounted in bearings 36a and 36b that are retained on the housing 37 of the armrest 10. A guide rod 42 that is merely indicated by dashed lines is used as an anti-turn device for the drive part 29.

(24) A controller (not shown) can be activated for example by a switch or a sensor. This causes the motor 32 to move the spindle nut 40 in a first direction of rotation, such that the drive part 29 that is rigidly connected to the motor 32 moves along the spindle 33 in direction y.sub.1. In this case, the drive part 29 carries along the assembly consisting of the sleeve 18, tension rod 23 and springs 21 and 31, and moves the assembly relative to the sleeve 20, in direction y.sub.1, out of the inner position according to FIG. 7 and into the outer position according to FIG. 8.

(25) In this case, the sleeve 18 is guided by an axial guide of the mount 17. This has a projection 44 that is formed on the sleeve 18 and engages in a guide track 46 that extends in direction y.sub.1 and is formed in the housing 37. The guide track 46 is designed such that the projection 44 has degrees of freedom in direction y.sub.1 and y.sub.2, and rotation of the sleeve 18 in direction u.sub.1 and u.sub.2 is prevented.

(26) The guide track 46 ends in the outer position. Owing to the biasing of the arm 13 by the spring 31 in direction u.sub.1, the projection 44 is moved into a guide track or slot 47 of the mount 17 that forms a rotational guide that prevents axial movement of the projection 44 in the directions y.sub.1 and y.sub.2 but allows angular movement in the directions u.sub.1 and u.sub.2. The guide slot 47 thus prevents return movement of the sleeve 18 in direction y.sub.2.

(27) The arm 13 is biased by the spring 31, into the secondary position according to FIG. 9, wherein the projection 44 moves, in the guide track 47, into the position, shown in FIG. 12, at an end of the guide track 47. In the process, the damper 39 brakes movement of the arm 13 in direction u.sub.1. In addition, the arm 13 could be braked by a separate spring approximately 20 degrees before reaching the secondary position, which separate spring is tensioned in this pivoting range until the secondary position is reached.

(28) The motor 32 is now driven such that the pinion 40 moves the drive part 29 in direction y.sub.2, wherein the tension rod 23 that is rigidly connected to the drive part 29 is entrained, together with the profile element 43, in direction y.sub.2, and in the process tensions the spring 21 (see FIG. 9).

(29) If the arm 13 is now intended to be moved into the non-use position, said support is pivoted manually about the pivot axis a in direction u.sub.2, opposite the restoring force of the spring 31, until the primary position according to FIG. 8 is reached. In the process, the spring 31 is tensioned again. When the primary position is reached that corresponds to the outer position, the arm 13 is moved by the spring 21 in direction y.sub.2, into the inner position, wherein the projection 44 runs along the guide track 46.

(30) Alternatively to the embodiment described here, the arm of the arm rest could be guided by a helical guide track, wherein movement between the inner position and the outer position, and movement between the primary position and the secondary position takes place simultaneously.