ARMREST

Abstract

The armrest comprises an arm support that is vertically adjustable by an adjuster that is held on the vehicle frame. The adjustment takes place here independently of a storage compartment. In this way, the vertical position of the armrest can be adapted to the size of the occupants of the seat. The adjuster can be operated with a manual drive or electrically as an alternative, for example. The adjuster has a guide fixed to the vehicle frame and a slide that carries the arm support and that is vertically shiftable on the guide.

Claims

1. An armrest for use in a vehicle having a frame, the armrest comprising: a vertical guide fixed on the vehicle frame; a slide vertically shiftable along the guide; and an arm support carried on the slide.

2. The armrest defined in claim 1, wherein the guide is straight.

3. The armrest defined in claim 1, wherein the guide is formed by at least one vertical guide rod.

4. The armrest defined in claim 3, wherein the guide rod is cylindrical.

5. The armrest defined in claim 1 wherein there are two pairs of such guides to each other and two such slides each movable in a respective one of the pairs of guides, the guides being all parallel to each other, the armrest further comprising: a respective synchronizing mechanism associated with each slide for moving each slide synchronously in the respective pair of guides.

6. The armrest defined in claim 5 wherein each synchronizing means includes: respective racks extending parallel along the guides of the pairs of guides; respective shafts journaled in the slides and having ends each juxtaposed with a respective one of the respective racks; and respective gears on the ends of the shafts meshing with the respective racks.

7. The armrest defined in claim 6, further comprising: respective brake mechanisms engageable with each of the shafts for arresting the slides in vertically offset positions.

8. The armrest defined in claim 1, further comprising means for arresting each the arm support in any of a plurality of vertically offset positions relative to the frame.

9. The armrest defined in claim 8, wherein the means for arresting includes a spring attached to the arm support.

10. The armrest defined in claim 1, further comprising: spring means urging the slide for vertical upward or downward movement relative to the vehicle frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0021] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of an adjuster for an armrest in a first vertical height position;

[0023] FIG. 2 is a section taken along line II-II in FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 3 is a section taken along line in FIG. 2;

[0025] FIG. 4 shows the adjuster in a second height position as in FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 5 is a section taken along line V-V in FIG. 4;

[0027] FIG. 6 is a section taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

[0028] FIG. 7 is a section taken along VII-VII in FIG. 8;

[0029] FIG. 8 is a side view of a second embodiment of an adjuster for an armrest; and

[0030] FIG. 9 is a section taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] As seen in the drawing, an armrest in a motor vehicle comprises an arm support 11 that is adjustable vertically by an adjuster 10 in the directions z.sub.1 and z.sub.2. FIG. 1 shows the arm support 11 only with a dash-dot line for the sake of simplicity. In the present embodiment, the arm support 11 is formed by two parts 11a and 11b.

[0032] The part 11a of the cover 11 is supported by a bearing and guide device 12a, and part 11b of the cover 11 is supported by a bearing and guide device 12b. Since the two parts 11a and 11b are supported in the same way, only the bearing of the cover 11a is described below. The part 11a is pivotal on a slide 13, for example (the slide of the bearing and guide device 12b is not shown in FIG. 1). The part 11a is pivotal in directions p.sub.1 and p.sub.2 between an approximately horizontal position shown in FIG. 1 and a vertical position pivoted up by about 90° in the direction p.sub.1.

[0033] The slide 13 may be moved in the directions z.sub.1 and z.sub.2 by the bearing and guide device 12a. FIG. 2 shows that the bearing and guide device 12a has two vertical guide rods 14a and 14b. An outer edge region 16a of the slide 13 is in contact with an outer surface 15 of the guide rod 14a, and another outer edge region 16b of the slide 13 is in contact with an outer surface 15 of the guide rod 14b. The guide rods 14a and 14b, each of which has an approximately circular cylindrical cross section, pass through complementary cylindrical holes 17 in the outer edge regions 16a and 16b. The guide rods 14a and 14b are fixed in a base part 18 itself fixed on the vehicle frame. FIG. 2 shows that the slide 13 is formed as a plate.

[0034] Tilting of the slide 13 relative to the guide rods 14a and 14b is prevented by a synchronizing device 19. The synchronizing device 19 has a shaft 20 mounted to rotate about a horizontal rotation axis a and on each of whose ends a gear 21a and 21b is rotationally fixed, so that these gears 21a and 21b cannot rotate about the axis a relative to one another. The synchronizing device 19 also has racks 22a and 22b that are formed on the base part 18 and can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The gear 21a meshes with the rack 22a and the gear 21b meshes with the rack 22b. Unwanted twisting of the slide 13 about a y axis perpendicular to the plane of the slide 13 is prevented in this way. FIG. 3 also shows a rack 23a of the bearing and guide device 12b.

[0035] The slide 13 in FIGS. 4 through 6 is shown shifted upward in the direction z.sub.1 relative to FIGS. 1 to 3. The slide 13 can be moved down of the position illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6 in the direction z.sub.2 and into the lower end position of FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0036] A locking device 24 can secure each slide 13 in any vertical position. In the present embodiment, the locking device 24 has a wrap spring 25 that cooperates with an exterior surface 26 of the shaft 20. The wrap spring 25 is fixed to the slide 13 at one spring end. The other spring end may be activated to adjust the locking device between a locked position and a release position. In the lock position, the diameter of the wrap spring 25 arranged coaxially to the shaft 20 is reduced, so that the shaft 20 is prevented from moving by the contact of the wrap spring 20 with the exterior surface 26. In other words, the shaft 20 cannot rotate relative to the slide 13, and movement of the slide 13 is thereby prevented. In the release position, the diameter of the wrap spring 25 is increased, and the shaft 20 can rotate freely. The adjustment between the locked position and the release position may take place by a switch, for example that is provided on the outside of the armrest.

[0037] The drive for the slide 13 is not shown. It may be driven manually or by motor. In the case of a manual drive, the slide may be spring-loaded. The spring is put under tension with a movement of the slide 13 in the direction z.sub.2, for example, and is relaxed with a movement in the direction z.sub.1.

[0038] The second embodiment according to FIGS. 7 to 9 differs essentially from the first embodiment in that the slide 40 is guided movably on a base part 41 like a drawer in the directions z.sub.1 and z.sub.2. The base part 41 forms a shaft as a guide, so that side areas 42a and 42b of the slide 40 are gripped by U-shaped structures. The synchronizing device 19 and the locking device 24 are constructed like those in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the slide 40 is loaded by a roller spring in the direction z.sub.2.