Armrest for a motor vehicle

Abstract

Armrest (24) for a motor vehicle, with at least one loudspeaker device (26) for emitting a sound, wherein the armrest (24) has a hollow body (28) characterized in that the hollow body (28) is designed as a sound body of the loudspeaker device (26) and that the hollow body (28) is additionally designed as a door handle for opening a door (10) of the motor vehicle.

Description

The following invention relates to an armrest for a motor vehicle, with at least one loudspeaker device for emitting a sound, wherein the armrest has a hollow body. Speakers integrated into door panels are already a known technology, used, for example, to improve the sound quality of the audio system. Positioning these speakers in the door panels allows for even sound distribution throughout the vehicle interior. Their proximity to the driver's or passenger's ear results in better sound and clearer reproduction. The diaphragm or cone is the moving part of the speaker that produces the sound. Door panels often incorporate lightweight and torsionally rigid materials such as plastic or aluminum to ensure good sound quality. The magnet is a crucial component of the speaker, setting the diaphragm in motion and thus generating the sound. Powerful neodymium magnets are frequently used in door panels to achieve good sound quality in a compact design.The voice coil is a thin wire mounted on the speaker's magnets that receives the electrical current from the amplifier. The movement of the diaphragm in the voice coil produces the sound. The speaker housing in the door panel is often made of plastic or metal and acts as a vibration damper to prevent resonance and ensure clear sound reproduction. The door panel speakers are connected to the vehicle's audio system via cables. Connectors are often used for easy installation and removal. To minimize vibrations and external noise, door panel speakers are often insulated with sound-absorbing materials. These materials, which can be made of foam or bitumen, reduce unwanted noise inside the vehicle. DE 8 026 903 U1 describes an armrest for mounting on a side wall, in particular on a door of a motor vehicle, wherein a cavity in an armrest having a sound outlet opening is designed to accommodate a built-in loudspeaker. DE 4 121 408 A1 describes a playback arrangement for bass tones in passenger cars, with a housing enclosed on all sides, with a partition which divides the interior of the housing into two volumes, with a loudspeaker which is arranged in the opening of the partition and with a sound outlet which connects one of the two volumes to the space outside the housing, wherein the playback arrangement is arranged completely inside the armrest of a motor vehicle. Other documents, such as EP 0 187 346 A2, US 5 841 877 A, JP 2004 - 330951 A, US 2006 / 0 191 740 A1, CN 1 12 172 706 A, and US 2022 / 0 097 620 A1, also show various designs of armrests or consoles in which a hollow body is provided to house a loudspeaker and serves as a sound chamber. DE 10 2017 206 111 A1 further discloses the integration of control elements in the form of touch-sensitive surfaces in a vehicle door armrest. The object of the present invention is to create an armrest by means of which an additional function of the armrest can be realized in a space-saving and component-reduced manner. In particular, the armrest should integrate several functions in order to further reduce the number of individual components in the vehicle interior and at the same time create new design freedoms. This problem is solved by an armrest according to independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims. One aspect of the invention relates to an armrest for a motor vehicle, with at least one loudspeaker device for emitting a sound. The armrest is designed to have a hollow body. According to the invention, this hollow body serves as the sound chamber of the loudspeaker device and additionally as a door handle for opening a door of the motor vehicle. Thus, the armrest can serve a dual function, being designed both to rest the arm on and to form the hollow body for the loudspeaker unit. Additionally, the hollow body functions as a door handle for opening a vehicle door. In other words, the hollow body can be moved, and its operation or movement initiates the opening of the vehicle door. This allows the armrest to encompass a variety of different functions and be highly functional, resulting in a particularly space-saving and component-efficient armrest design. The sound body, or transducer, is the heart of a loudspeaker or loudspeaker system, converting the electrical signals of the audio signal into motion and thus generating sound. The sound body consists of several components that all work together. The diaphragm is the moving part of the loudspeaker that produces the sound. It is usually made of a lightweight and torsionally rigid material, such as plastic or aluminum. Depending on the size and shape of the diaphragm, the loudspeaker can be optimized for different frequency ranges. The voice coil is a thin wire mounted inside the loudspeaker's magnet, which receives the electrical current from the amplifier. The movement of the diaphragm by the voice coil produces the sound. The magnet is a crucial component of the loudspeaker, setting the diaphragm in motion and thus generating the sound.It is often made of neodymium, alnico, or ferrite materials, depending on the power requirements and size of the loudspeaker. The suspension ensures that the diaphragm is centered in its resting position and prevents excessive movement. It is often made of rubber, foam, or fabric and surrounds the edge of the diaphragm. The loudspeaker basket serves as a mount for the individual components of the sound enclosure and ensures stable assembly. It is often made of metal or plastic and is designed to reduce vibrations and radiate sound evenly. The spider ensures that the voice coil remains centered in the magnet and prevents diaphragm overload. It is often made of plastic or metal and is frequently integrated into the loudspeaker basket. The air gap is the distance between the voice coil and the magnet through which the magnetic force acts and moves the diaphragm.The smaller the air gap, the greater the linear excursion of the diaphragm and thus the maximum power handling of the loudspeaker. All these components enable the loudspeaker's enclosure to convert electrical signals into sound, making music or speech audible. The quality of the enclosure is a crucial factor for the overall sound quality of the loudspeaker and particularly influences its linearity, sensitivity, power handling, and frequency response. According to an advantageous embodiment, the armrest can be integrated into a vehicle door. For example, the armrest can be integrated into a central section of the door. This allows existing door structures to be used to additionally equip the armrest with the speaker system. In particular, this eliminates the need for the speaker system itself on the door, freeing up space for other functions. In a further advantageous embodiment, the hollow body is provided with openings on one outer wall. These openings serve, in particular, to distribute sound from the hollow body into the surrounding environment, especially into the interior of the vehicle. The openings can be designed as slots, oval holes, or diamond shapes. It is also advantageous if the hollow body has a grid structure on one outer wall. The grid structure can, in particular, cover the corresponding openings and thus prevent contaminants from penetrating the hollow body. In a further advantageous embodiment, the grid structure is designed as a supporting structure. In particular, the weight of an arm, for example, can thus be placed on the grid structure without causing mechanical bending or damage to the hollow body. The hollow body is therefore protected from mechanical loads without the need for an additional supporting structure. It is also advantageous if the grid structure is made of wood, aluminum, or plastic. The respective materials offer distinct advantages. Wood, for example, provides the comfort advantage of minimizing the perceptible temperature fluctuations. Aluminum has the advantage of being very easy to work with and having a modern look. Plastic, in turn, is also very easy to manufacture and can be shaped or printed as needed. In a further advantageous embodiment, the grid structure is protected with a protective layer. This prevents, for example, dirt from settling within the grid structure. The protective layer can be made of leather or fabric, for instance. Thus, the cavity is reliably protected from contamination. It is also advantageous if the armrest has a lighting device. For example, the hollow body in the interior can contain a lighting device. In particular, the lighting device can be designed primarily as ambient lighting. This can increase comfort for the vehicle user. It has also proven advantageous if the hollow body has a control panel on one outer side for operating a vehicle function. The control panel can, for example, also be designed to operate the loudspeaker system. Preferably, however, the control panel can be designed, for example, to operate window regulators, exterior mirrors, or the like. Thus, the armrest is provided with a high degree of functionality. Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as those mentioned below in the figure description and / or shown in the figures alone, can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention. Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of an embodiment of a motor vehicle door; Figure 2 shows another schematic top view of the motor vehicle door from Figure 1 in a different perspective; and Figure 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an armrest. In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements are provided with the same reference symbols. Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a door 10 of a motor vehicle (not shown). In the present embodiment, the door 10 has, purely by way of example, a door opener 12, a first control panel 14, and a second control panel 16. A door trim 18, a map pocket 20, and a door center panel 22 are also shown. Furthermore, Fig. 1 shows an armrest 24, in particular arranged on the door center panel 22. The armrest 24 has at least one loudspeaker assembly 26. The armrest 24 also has a hollow body 28, wherein the hollow body 28 is designed as the sound chamber of the loudspeaker assembly 26. The loudspeaker assembly 26 further comprises at least one loudspeaker 30. It is further shown that, for example, the second control panel 16 can be formed on an outer surface 32 of the hollow body 28. Furthermore, the hollow body 28 can also have a corresponding lighting device 34 in an interior space, in particular for generating ambient lighting. In particular, Fig. 1 shows that the armrest 24 can be essentially integrated into the door 10. Furthermore, the hollow body 28 can have openings. The hollow body 28 can also have a grid structure 36 on the outer wall 32, wherein the grid structure 36 can preferably be designed as a supporting structure or alternatively simply as a decorative panel. The grid structure 36 can be made, for example, of wood, aluminum, or plastic. Furthermore, the grid structure 36 can have a protective layer, for example, of leather or fabric. Fig. 2 again shows a schematic top view of the door 10 from Fig. 1. In particular, Fig. 2 shows that, for example, the armrest 24 can have an extended area 38, which in turn is continued in the door center field 22. In particular, this demonstrates that the interior packaging of a vehicle is strained due to the many components. There is a need to offer integrated electrical components combined with the desire for an open and spacious feel, all as functionally integrated solutions. Figures 1 and 2 show, in particular, an innovative solution for a loudspeaker in the armrest 24. This integration frees up space in a different location and allows for the reduction of components compared to the conventional design. The loudspeaker assembly 26 is integrated, specifically, into a front section of the armrest, which extends from the door center panel 22. The sound from the loudspeaker 30 enters the passenger compartment through the central section of the armrest, which requires an open structure, possibly an organic 3D structure. The loudspeaker grille or grille structure 36 can be designed as a load-bearing structure or as a decorative panel. The loudspeaker grille, which also serves as the armrest, can be made of aluminum, wood, or plastic and may optionally be covered with fabric and / or leather.The rear part of the armrest is again part of the door center panel 22 and corresponds to the classic armrest with padding and decorative trim. This concept makes it possible to create new, unique door panel designs. Fig. 3 shows a schematic perspective view according to one embodiment of the armrest 24. Fig. 3 shows in particular that the loudspeaker 30 and the armrest 24 can be arranged in different ways. The slots of the grid structure 36 can be designed in different shapes, for example, slots, oval holes, or diamonds. The armrest 24 can also be illuminated.

Claims

Armrest (24) for a motor vehicle, with at least one loudspeaker device (26) for emitting a sound, wherein the armrest (24) has a hollow body (28), characterized in that the hollow body (28) is designed as a sound body of the loudspeaker device (26) and that the hollow body (28) is additionally designed as a door handle for opening a door (10) of the motor vehicle. Armrest (24) according to claim 1, characterized in that the armrest (24) can be integrated into a door (10) of the motor vehicle. Armrest (24) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hollow body (28) has openings on an outer wall (32). Armrest (24) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hollow body (28) has a grid structure (36) on an outer wall (32). Armrest (24) according to claim 4, characterized in that the grid structure (36) is designed as a support structure. Armrest (24) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the grid structure (36) is made of wood or aluminium or of plastic. Armrest (24) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the grid structure (36) is protected with a protective layer. Armrest (24) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the armrest (24) has a lighting device (34). Armrest (24) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hollow body (28) has a control panel (16) on an outer wall (32) for operating a functional device of the motor vehicle.

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