Motor vehicle accessory such as an armrest

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor-vehicle accessory, comprising a first part and at least one second part pivotal about an axis (a) relative to the first part in at least one bearing assembly (20a, 20b), and the bearing assembly (20a, 20b) comprises a bearing pin (14) on which a bearing sleeve (22) is coaxial to the bearing axis (a), and the bearing pin (14) forms a head (19) with an axial retaining face (30). The particularity is that of the bearing pin (14) having first coupling formation that engages in a second coupling formation of the bearing sleeve (22) and prevents relative rotation in a pivot direction (u.sub.1, u.sub.2) between the bearing sleeve (22) and the bearing pin (14).

Claims

1. A motor-vehicle accessory comprising; a first part; at least one second part; and a bearing assembly supporting the first part in the second part for pivoting of the second part about an axis relative to the first part, the bearing assembly comprising a bearing pin on which a bearing sleeve is coaxial to the bearing axis, the bearing pin having a first coupling formation that engages in a second coupling formation of the bearing sleeve and prevents relative movement in a pivot direction between the bearing sleeve and the bearing pin.

2. The motor-vehicle accessory according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling formation is formed on an outer surface of the bearing pin, and the second coupling formation is formed on an inner surface of the bearing sleeve, the inner surface being in contact with the outer surface.

3. The motor-vehicle accessory according to claim 1, wherein the coupling formations are formed by teeth or polygonal supports.

4. The motor-vehicle accessory according to claim 1, wherein the bearing pin passes through a hole in a holding strut of a vehicle frame and engages in the arm.

5. The motor-vehicle accessory according to claim 1, wherein the bearing sleeve forms a flange with an axial counterface.

6. The motor-vehicle accessory according to claim 5, further comprising: at least one functional element between the retaining face and the counterface.

7. The motor-vehicle accessory according to claim 6, wherein the functional element is a disk spring.

8. The motor-vehicle accessory according to claim 1, wherein the bearing pin is fixed to the first part or to the second part.

9. The motor-vehicle accessory according to claim 1, wherein the bearing assembly has a washer in contact with a vehicle frame in order to absorb and distribute forces acting on the vehicle frame.

10. An armrest for a vehicle wherein the armrest is a motor-vehicle accessory according to claim 1, a vehicle frame forming the first part and a pivotal arm forming the second part.

Description

(1) Further advantages result from the description of an embodiment schematically shown in the drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective rear view of an armrest with an arm in a first position;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective partially exploded view of the armrest from the front;

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of the armrest according to FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a rear view according to arrow IV of FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 is side view according to view arrow V of FIG. 3 with the arm in the first position;

(7) FIG. 6 is a side view with the arm in a second position;

(8) FIG. 7 is a section taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 5;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a partially exploded perspective rear view of a prior-art armrest.

(10) An armrest is generally shown in the drawing at 10. Similar references in different drawings denote corresponding parts, even if lower-case letters or apostrophes are added or omitted.

(11) The armrest 10 comprises an arm 11 provided with a cushion 13 and pivotal on a support leg 12 around an axis a. The support leg 12 is fastened to the vehicle in a manner not shown in detail.

(12) According to FIGS. 1 to 5, the arm 11 is in a first for example approximately horizontal, position. It can be pivoted around the axis a in a direction u.sub.1 to a second, approximately vertical position shown in FIG. 6. From the second position, the armrest can be pivoted back to the first position in direction u.sub.2.

(13) The arm 11 has an outer end 31 as well as an inner end 32. The inner end 32 is pivotably connected to the support leg 12. The inner end 32 is connected to ends of supports 47a and 47b. Opposite ends of the supports 47a and 47b are held on an axle 48. Opposite ends 44a and 44b of the axle 48 are formed with a bore 29 whose central axis coincides with the axis a. The axle 48 is between two holding struts 25a and 25b of the support leg 12.

(14) Pivoting is ensured by bearing assemblies 20a and 20b (see for example FIG. 2). The bearing assemblies 20a and 20b are mirrorsymmetrically identical. Each bearing assembly 20a and 20b comprises a bearing pin 14 that passes through a hole 28 in the respective holding strut 25a and 25b of the support leg 12, engages in the bore 29 of the axis 48, and is screwed in place in this position.

(15) The bearing assembly 20a is described by way of example below. The bearing pin 14 has with a head 19 as well as parts 15, 33, and 16. A longitudinal central axis of the bearing pin 14 forms the axis a. On the head 19, a retaining face 30 is formed that faces in the direction y.sub.1 of the axis a and can absorb forces in the direction y.sub.2. The interlocking part 15 is designed so as to be polygonal. The cylinder part 33 has a cylindrical surface 49 coaxial to the axis a. The connecting part 16 of the bearing pin 14 is provided with a screwthread 39. A shoulder 46 is formed between the interlocking part 15 and the cylinder part 33.

(16) Each bore 29 has a screwthread 27 that engages with the screwthread 39 of the bearing pin 14. The circular cylinder part 33 of the bearing pin 14 engages in a center part 45 of the bore 29. As a result, the bearing pin is centered in the bore 29. The bearing pins 14 of the bearing assemblies 20a and 20b that are fixed to the arm 11, pass through the holes 28 in the holding struts 25a and 25b. Since the bearing pins 14a and 14b are rotatably connected to the arm 11, i.e. there is no relative rotation between the bearing pins 14 and the arm 11, the bearing pins rotate relative to the respective holding struts 25a and 25b around the axis a.

(17) The bearing assembly 20a further comprises a bearing sleeve 22 having a tubular part 40 and an approximately disk-shaped flange 21. The bearing sleeve 22 has a central passage 26 through which the bearing pin 14 passes, and the tubular part 40 is coaxial to the interlocking part 15 of the bearing pin 14. An inner wall of the bearing sleeve 22 that faces the axis a is provided with an internal polygon 38 that engages with the polygon 37 of the bearing pin 14. Due to this interlocking, there is no relative rotation between the bearing pin 14 and the bearing sleeve 22.

(18) The tubular part 40 has an outer surface 41 facing radially outward of the axis a. The outer surface 41 is in contact with an inner surface of the hole 28 in the holding strut 25a. When the arm is pivoted, there is a relative rotation around the axis a between the outer surface 41 and the inner surface of the hole 28.

(19) Opposite the retaining face 30 of the bearing pin 14 that faces in the direction y.sub.1, the flange 21 of the bearing sleeve 22 has a counterface 42 extending approximately parallel to the retaining face 30. A disk spring 18 is coaxial to the axis a between the retaining face 30 and the counterface 42. The bearing pin 14 and the tubular part 40 pass through a bore 17 of the disk spring 18. Since the disk spring 18 is braced between the retaining face 30 and the counterface 42, it rotates together with the bearing pin 14 and the sleeve 22. In other words, there is no relative rotation between bearing pin 14, bearing sleeve 22, and disk spring 18.

(20) A stop face 43 is formed opposite the counterface 42 on the flange 21 and bears against a thrust face 34 of a thrust washer 23. A contact surface 35 of the thrust washer 23 that is opposite the thrust face 34 is in contact with an outer surface 36 of the holding strut 25 adjacent the hole 28.

(21) The bearing pin 14, the disk spring 18, the sleeve 22, the thrust washer 23, and the bore 29 are coaxial to the axis a. The bearing pin 14 extends through the hole 17 of the disk spring 18, additionally passes through the central passage 26 of the sleeve 22 and passes through a hole 24 of the thrust washer 23.

(22) Movement of the arm 11 between the lower position and the upper position causes the assembly rotatably connected to the arm 11 and consisting of the bearing pin 14, the disk spring 18, and the bearing sleeve 22 of the bearing assembly 20a to move relative to the thrust washer 23 and the holding strut 25a of the support leg 12. In the same manner, the assembly consisting of the bearing pin 14, the disk spring 18, and the bearing sleeve 22 rotates relative to the thrust washer 23 and the holding strut 25b of the support leg 12. The friction partners are thus defined and there is no unforeseen relative rotation between parts of the bearing assemblies 20a and 20b that generates unwanted noises.

(23) The disk spring 18 of the bearing assembly 20a loads the arm 11 in the direction y.sub.1, and the disk spring 18 of the bearing assembly 20b loads the arm in the direction y.sub.2. Therefore, there can be no rattling of the armrest 10 due to axial movement of the arm 11.

(24) For installing the arm 11 on the support leg 12, the disk spring 18, the bearing sleeve 22, and the thrust washer 23 are placed in order on the first part 15 of the bearing pin 14. Subsequently, the bearing pin 14 and the tubular part 40 that coaxially surrounds the first part 15, are inserted through the hole 28. The bore 29 of the axle 48 and the hole 28 are arranged so as to align with one another. The second part 16 of the bearing pin is screwed into the bore 29, and the cylindrical part 33 of the bearing pin 14 interacts with the center part 45 of the bore 29. In this manner, both the bearing assembly 20a and the bearing assembly 20b are installed.

(25) FIG. 8 shows an armrest 10 from the prior art. An arm 11 of the armrest 10 is pivotal about an axis a on the holding struts of a support leg 12. It is pivotably mounted by means of two opposing bearing assemblies. Each bearing assembly comprises a bearing pin 14 firmly screw-connected to the arm 11 and mounted in a hole of the holding strut. In this manner, the bearing pin 14 and the hole of the holding strut of both bearing assemblies form the axis a.

(26) The bearing pin 14 has a cylindrical part 33. A bearing sleeve 22, two disk springs 18, and a thrust washer 23 are coaxial to the cylindrical part 33. The bearing pin 14, the bearing sleeve 22, the disk springs 18, and the thrust washer 23 are rotatable around the axis a. The head of the bearing pin 14 bears against the flange of the bearing sleeve 22 axially of the axis a. The flange is furthermore axially in contact with one of the disk springs 18. A disk spring 18 axially bears against the thrust washer 23, and the thrust washer 23 is furthermore in contact with the support leg 12. In the device from the prior at, relative movements can occur between the adjacent parts 12/23, 23/18, 18/22, and 22/14 that are in contact with one another, thus resulting in unwanted noises.