VEHICLE INTERIOR EQUIPMENT PART

Abstract

A vehicle equipment part having a base fixed to the bodywork and pivot part pivotable relative to the base about an axis, which pivot part can be locked in one pivot direction by a free-wheel device having a clamping member. The clamping member is arranged in a wedge-shaped clamping gap radially between a first counter-surface formed by a wedge structure fixed to the base and a circular cylindrical second counter-surface associated with the pivot part and is movable between a blocking position and a release position. The clamping member has a first contact surface, which faces the first counter-surface, and a second contact surface, which faces the second counter-surface. The second counter-surface is formed with a structure which is V-shaped in radial section and extends at least partly in the circumferential direction coaxially with the pivot axis and which is in the form of a recess or a projection, and the second contact surface is formed by a complementary structure.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A vehicle equipment part of a vehicle interior, comprising: a base fixable to bodywork of the vehicle interior; a pivot part pivotable relative to the base about a pivot axis, the pivot part being lockable relative to one pivot direction; and a free-wheel device that locks the pivot part, the free-wheel device including at least one clamping member, wherein the clamping member is arranged in a wedge-shaped clamping gap radially between a first counter-surface formed by at least one wedge structure fixed to the base and a convex or concave circular cylindrical second counter-surface associated with the pivot part, and is movable between a blocking position and a release position, wherein the at least one clamping member has a first contact surface that faces the first counter-surface, and a second contact surface that faces the second counter-surface, wherein the second counter-surface is formed with at least one structure that is V-shaped in radial section and extends at least in some portions in a circumferential direction coaxially with the pivot axis and that is formed as a recess or a projection, and wherein the second contact surface is formed as a complementary structure.

15. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 14, wherein the V-shaped structure of the second counter-surface is formed circumferentially annularly around the pivot axis.

16. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 14, further comprising at least one wedge element that is immovably fixedly connected to the base and comprises the at least one wedge structure that forms the first counter-surface.

17. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 14, further comprising a coaxial circular cylindrical structure connected to the pivot part and having a convex outer surface that forms the second counter-surface.

18. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 14, further comprising a hollow cylinder formed coaxially with the pivot axis and having a concave inner surface that forms the second counter-surface, the pivot part being connected to the hollow cylinder.

19. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 14, wherein the clamping member comprises at least one wedge-shaped wedge formation.

20. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 14, wherein the first contact surface and the first counter-surface are of spiral form.

21. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 14, further comprising a spring arranged to load the at least one clamping member into the blocking position.

22. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 14, further comprising a release device arranged to move the clamping member into the release position.

23. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 22, wherein the release device includes at least one release claw that is movable between a passive position and an active position, and, in the active position, the at least one clamping member is moved into the release position.

24. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 23, further comprising a spring arranged to load the release device into the passive position.

25. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 22, further comprising a control device configured to move the release device between the blocking position and the release position in dependence on an angular position of the pivot part.

26. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 23, further comprising an actuating device configured to manually actuate the release device.

27. The vehicle equipment part according to claim 14, wherein the vehicle equipment part is an armrest or a center console, and wherein the pivot part is a pivotable arm support.

Description

[0034] In the drawings:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle equipment part in the form of an armrest,

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a rear perspective view of the armrest,

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the armrest,

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a view according to view arrow A in FIG. 3,

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view along section line B-B in FIG. 4,

[0040] FIG. 6a shows a sectional view along section line C-C in FIG. 3,

[0041] FIG. 6b shows a detail view according to detail line D in FIG. 6a.

[0042] FIGS. 1 to 4 show an equipment part 10 in the form of an armrest having a base 11 and a pivot part 12 in the form of an arm support which is pivotable about a geometric pivot axis a. In FIG. 1, a physical axis 16 of the base 11 can be seen, which is coaxial with the pivot axis a. The axis 16 is immovably fixedly connected to the base 11. The arm support 12 has an end region 13 close to the axis and a free end region 14. The arm support 12 is further provided with a support surface 15. A perspective view of the rear side of the armrest 10 is shown in FIG. 2.

[0043] From the position shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, the arm support 12 is pivotable in direction u1 into a position which is shown by a broken line in FIG. 3. From the position shown by a broken line, the arm support 12 can be pivoted in direction u2 into the position which is shown by a solid line in FIG. 3.

[0044] The arm support 12 is provided with a free-wheel device 20. This can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. For locking the arm support 12, a wedge element 17 is in positive engagement with the axis 16, so that rotation of the wedge element 17 in directions u1 and u2 is prevented. The wedge element 17 has a plurality of wedge-shaped wedge structures 18, which have first counter-surfaces 19 extending radially outwards in the form of a spiral.

[0045] In the present exemplary embodiment, the shaft wedge 17 has six wedge structures 18 distributed over the circumference. The wedge structures 18 are each equipped with first counter-surfaces 19. The number of wedge structures 18 is arbitrary and can differ from the number chosen here. Alternatively, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wedge structures 18, for example, can be present.

[0046] The arm support 12 forms at its end region 13 a hollow cylinder 21 with a circular cross-section, which is arranged coaxially with the axis 16. Between an inner surface 22 of the hollow cylinder 21 and the wedge element 17 there is formed a clamping gap 39, in which at least one clamping member 23 is movably arranged. An outer surface of the wedge element forms the first counter-surface 19, and the inner surface 22 forms the second counter-surface 44.

[0047] Each clamping member 23 comprises at least one wedge formation 41. In the present example, two wedge formations 41 are formed on each clamping member 23. At least one clamping member 23 can be arranged in the clamping gap 39. In particular, at least two, in the present example three, clamping members 23 are provided in the clamping gap 39.

[0048] The clamping member 23 is movable between a clamping position and a release position. In the clamping position according to FIG. 5, the arm support 12 is movable only in direction u1, while a movement in direction u2 is blocked. In the release position (not shown here), a movement of the arm support 12 in both directions u1 and u2 of the arm support 12 is possible.

[0049] A first contact surface 43 of each clamping member is in contact with the first counter-surface 19, and a second contact surface 27 is in contact with the second counter-surface 44.

[0050] In the clamping position shown in FIG. 5, the clamping members 23 are in a clamping relationship with the first counter-surface 19 and with the second counter-surface 22. As a result of the clamping relationship, a normal force FN acting radially in direction R is exerted on the inner surface 22, which results in a frictional force which prevents movement of the arm support 12 relative to the axis 16.

[0051] Rotation of the release claws 23 in direction u1 from the clamping position into the release position reduces the normal force FN such that, as a result of the reduced frictional force, the arm support 12 is movable in both movement directions u1 and u2.

[0052] It can be seen in FIG. 5 that some of the wedge structures 18 of the wedge element 17 have a projection 24 protruding in the circumferential direction. The clamping member 23 forms a recess 25 which the projection 24 can enter on movement into the release position. In the recess 25 there is arranged a spring 26 which loads the clamping members 23 into the clamping position. The arrangement could of course be reversed.

[0053] The radially outwardly facing second contact surface 27 of the clamping member 23 is formed according to the invention by a friction lining 42 which is fixedly connected to the clamping member 23. At the inner surface 22 of the hollow cylinder 21, an insert is connected for conjoint rotation with a friction lining 29, which forms the second counter-surface 44 (see FIG. 6).

[0054] The second contact surface 27 and second counter-surface 44 facing one another are provided with V-shaped structures, namely with projections 30 and recesses 36, which are in engagement with one another. At the second counter-surface 44, the V-shaped structures extend in the form of a closed ring in the circumferential direction about the pivot axis a. At the second contact surface 27, the V-shaped structures extend in the circumferential direction over the entire clamping member.

[0055] Owing to the V-shape, a normal force FN acting radially in direction R (see FIG. 6) increases, so that the frictional force is increased. For example, the component forces FNX in the case of a wedge angle of 45? correspond to 1.3 FN. The increased normal force FN results in a higher frictional force. A substantially better locking action can therefore be obtained with the interengaging V-shaped surface structures of the friction lining 42 and of the friction lining 29.

[0056] The actuation of the free-wheel device 20 will be described hereinbelow. Actuation can in principle take place manually or automatically. In the present example, the movement of the free-wheel device 20 between the clamping position and the release position takes place by means of a control device 40. If the arm support 12 is pivoted from the position according to FIG. 5 in direction u1, the friction lining 29, which is rotationally connected to the arm support 12, likewise moves in direction u1. The friction lining 29 is associated with an insert, with which a cover plate 34, which has lugs 35, is connected for movement. The lugs 35 can rotate in a recess of a carrier 31 until they come into engagement with a stop surface.

[0057] On further rotation of the arm support 12 in direction u1, the lugs 35 rotate the carrier 31 in direction u1, wherein, by way of sloping surfaces (not shown), a claw ring 37, which is guided on the axis 16 so as to be movable in directions y1 and y2, of a release device 32 is moved in direction y1. The claw ring 37 is provided with release claws 38, which in an active position move the clamping members 23 in a manner not shown against the force of the springs 26 in direction u1 into a release position. The arm support 12 is then freely movable in directions u1 and u2. The carrier ring 31 holds the claw ring 37 in the active position (not shown), which is loaded by spring elements 33, which bear against the wedge element 17, in direction y2 into the passive position shown in FIG. 6a.

[0058] For reversing the free-wheel device 20, the free-wheel device is pivoted in direction u2 until the carrier ring releases the claw ring 37 and the claw ring 37 is caused by the springs 33 to move back in direction y2 into the passive position. The clamping members 23 are then no longer held in the release position by the release claws 38 and are therefore moved by the springs 26 into the clamping position.

[0059] The configuration of the control device 40 is not important in the invention. It could alternatively also be configured differently.

[0060] According to an alternative or in addition, release can take place by way of a manual actuating device.