Car seat armrest.

Abstract

The invention relates to an armrest (1a, 1b) for a seat (2) of a motor vehicle (3), the armrest (1a, 1b) being intended to be fixed to the seat (2), the armrest (1a, 1b) being designed to be mounted movably relative to the seat (2), between a first and a second position, the first position corresponding to a position of the armrest (1a, 1b) when the vehicle is equipped with the armrest (1a, 1b) in driving condition, the second position allowing lateral access to the seat (2) for the installation of a passenger (4) on the seat (2), the armrest (1a, 1b) comprising detection means arranged to detect the position of the armrest (1a, 1b) between its first and second positions when the armrest (1a, 1b) is installed on the seat (2). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Automotive seat armrest.

[0001] The technical field relates to automobile seat armrests, seats equipped with such armrests, and finally motor vehicles comprising such seats.

[0002] Motorized vehicles are experiencing significant growth. However, in an electric vehicle, the space previously occupied by the motor is reduced, particularly when the motor is integrated into the wheel. Therefore, it is advantageous to move the driver forward into the central area, formerly occupied by the motor, to enlarge the cargo area or reduce the vehicle's length. Thus, in a vehicle with two front wheels, the driver can be positioned centrally, for example, between the two front shock absorbers. In such a configuration, the driver can use either the left or right side doors to enter and exit the vehicle. However, access to the doors becomes less convenient. Indeed, when the driver's seat is positioned far forward between the front shock absorbers, the door opening controls are no longer easily accessible due to the distance between the driver and the doors.Thus, while a vehicle with a driver in a central front position is advantageous for optimizing vehicle space, access to it becomes complicated.

[0003] Thus, there is a need for a solution to facilitate access to a vehicle where the driver is seated in a central position.

[0004] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide an armrest designed to be fitted to a central seat, enabling the operation of a door.

[0005] To this end, the present invention relates to an armrest for a seat of a motor vehicle, the armrest being intended to be fixed on the seat, the armrest being designed to be mounted movable relative to the seat, between a first and a second position, the first position corresponding to a position of the armrest in driving condition of the vehicle equipped with the armrest, the second position allowing lateral access to the seat for the installation of a passenger on the seat, the armrest comprising detection means arranged to detect the position of the armrest between its first and second positions when the armrest is installed on the seat.

[0006] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle seat comprising at least one armrest according to the invention, each fixed to the seat.

[0007] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one seat according to the invention associated with at least one door allowing side access at the seat, the detection means are designed to control the opening and / or closing of a vehicle door associated with the armrest according to its position, when the armrest is moved between its first and second positions.

[0008] Thus, the armrest according to the invention allows a seat according to the invention to be equipped. The seat allows the opening and / or closing of the door to be controlled by moving the armrest between its first and second positions. The detection means thus allow the door's behavior to be controlled according to the armrest's position. Furthermore, in its second position, the armrest facilitates access to the seat according to the invention by a passenger. Thus, the armrest according to the invention allows the conventional door opening control to be at least partially relocated to the armrest. The armrest according to the invention therefore facilitates the entry into, or exit from, the seat according to the invention, particularly in a vehicle according to the invention where the seat is in the front center position.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the armrest, the detection means are configured to control the opening and / or closing of a vehicle door giving lateral access to the seat equipped with the armrest.

[0010] According to one possibility, the armrest is designed to move from one of the first and second positions to the other by a rotation around an axis of rotation, preferably an axis of rotation corresponding to a vertical axis of the vehicle.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the armrest includes a control designed to allow and / or prohibit the movement of the armrest between its first and second positions and / or vice versa.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the armrest includes movement means designed to automatically move the armrest between its first and second positions.

[0013] Advantageously, the means of movement include at least one spring.

[0014] Even more advantageously, the means of transport include at least one motor.

[0015] According to one possibility of the motor vehicle, when the armrest has means of movement designed to automatically move the armrest between its first and second positions, the door is motorized, the means of movement and detection being designed to coordinate the movements of the door and the armrest.

[0016] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0017] [Fig.1] [Fig.1] represents a perspective view of a motor vehicle having a seat according to the invention.

[0018] An armrest la, 1b according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig. 1], is designed to equip a seat 2 of a motor vehicle 3 according to the invention, also illustrated in [Fig. 1]. In this case, the seat 2 has two armrests la, 1b, each installed on one side of the seat 2. In the example illustrated in the figure, the seat 2 is arranged in a central position.

[0019] The armrest la, 1b is designed to be mounted movably relative to the seat 2, between a first position and a second position. The first position corresponds to the position of the armrest la when the vehicle is equipped with the armrest 1 while driving. In the first position, the armrest la extends substantially along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The second position allows lateral access to the seat 2, as indicated by the arrow in [Fig. 1], for a passenger 4 to enter or exit the vehicle. For example, the second position corresponds to an armrest extending substantially along a transverse axis of the vehicle when the armrest is mounted on the vehicle. In [Fig. 1], the armrest 1b is shown in its second position. Lateral access is understood to mean access allowing the passenger 4 to enter or exit the seat 2 without being obstructed by the armrest la, 1b.Each armrest la, 1b has a similar initial position, with the two armrests la, 1b then extending in parallel directions.

[0020] In the example illustrated in the figure, each armrest la, 1b has the form of a bar 5 extending from a backrest 6 of the seat 2.

[0021] The armrest la, 1b is designed to move from one of the first and second positions to the other by rotating around an AR axis of rotation. For example, between the first and second positions, the armrest la, 1b undergoes a 90° rotation around the AR axis of rotation. In the example shown in the figure, the AR axis of rotation of each armrest la, 1b extends along a vertical axis of the vehicle 3. The AR axis of rotation is advantageously located at the point where the armrest la, 1b is attached to the seat back 6.

[0022] Advantageously, the armrest la, 1b includes detection means arranged to detect the position of the armrest la, 1b between its first and second positions, when the armrest la, 1b is installed on the seat 2. Thus, the relative position of each armrest la, 1b is advantageously known by the detection means.

[0023] Advantageously, the detection means are configured to control the opening and / or closing of a door 7 of the vehicle 3 providing lateral access to the seat 2 equipped with the armrest 1a, 1b. By opening, it is understood, for example, to unlock the door 7 and / or to move the door 7, for example motorized, to allow the passenger 4 to get in and / or out. By closing door 7, it is understood, for example, the motorized closing of door 7. In the example of vehicle 3 illustrated in the figure, two doors 7 are associated with seat 2.

[0024] In the vehicle 3 illustrated in the figure, each door 7 allows lateral access to the seat 2.

[0025] In order to secure the opening of the door 7 and / or to prevent the armrest la, 1b from moving unintentionally from its first position to its second position, the armrest la, 1b advantageously includes a control 8 designed to allow and / or prevent the movement of the armrest la, 1b. The control 8 is, for example, a push button, not shown, which must be held down to allow movement of the armrest la, 1b. The control 8 is advantageously located at one end 9 of the armrest la, 1b, away from the seat back 6.

[0026] In the described embodiment, each armrest la, 1b includes means of movement designed to automatically move, that is to say without the intervention of the passenger 4, the armrest la, 1b between its first and second positions.

[0027] According to a first possibility, the means of movement include at least one spring, not shown. When passenger 4 exits, the movement of the armrest la, 1b compresses the spring. When the door 7 closes, the spring returns the armrest la, 1b from its second position to the first position.

[0028] According to another possibility, the means of movement comprise at least one motor, not illustrated. The motor then allows the armrest la, 1b to be moved autonomously.

[0029] In the vehicle 3 described, the sensing means are designed to control the opening and / or closing of a door 7, associated with the armrest la, 1b, depending on the position of the armrest la, 1b. For example, the door 7 is motorized to allow the door 7 to move according to the position of the armrest la, 1b by means of the sensing means. For example, the sensing means communicate the position of the armrest la, 1b to a control unit, not shown, designed to send a command to the motor enabling the movement of the door 7.

[0030] Advantageously, the movement means and the detection means are designed to coordinate the movements of the door 7 and the armrest la, 1b. Advantageously, the first position of the armrest la, 1b is associated with the door 7 being closed, while when the armrest la, 1b is in its second position, the door 7 is open. Thus, when passenger 4 in seat 2 moves the armrest la, 1b from one of its first and second positions to the other, passenger 4 can remotely close or open the door 7. Conversely, the opening or closing of the door 7, for example from outside the vehicle 3, causes a movement of the armrest la, 1b into its corresponding position.

[0031] Thus, the armrest la, 1b is used to equip the seat 2 and allows the opening and / or closing of the door 7 to be controlled by moving the armrest la, 1b between its first and second positions. The detection means thus allow the behavior of the door 7 to be controlled according to the position of the armrest la, 1b. Advantageously, each door 7 associated with the seat 2 is controlled by the detection means of an armrest la, 1b of the seat 2. Furthermore, in its second position, the armrest la, 1b facilitates access to the seat 2. The armrest la, 1b according to the invention therefore facilitates the entry into, or exit from, the passenger 4 of seat 2, particularly in a vehicle 3 where the seat 2 is in the front center position, and has two armrests la, 1b allowing each of the left and right doors 7 to be controlled.

[0032] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the armrest described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Armrest (la, 1b) for a seat (2) of a motor vehicle (3), the armrest (la, 1b) being intended to be fixed to the seat (2), the armrest (la, 1b) being designed to be mounted movable relative to the seat (2), between a first and a second position, the first position corresponding to a position of the armrest (la, 1b) in driving condition of the vehicle equipped with the armrest (la, 1b), the second position allowing lateral access to the seat (2) for the installation of a passenger (4) on the seat (2), the armrest (la, 1b) comprising sensing means arranged to detect the position of the armrest (la, 1b) between its first and second positions when the armrest (la, 1b) is installed on the seat (2).

2. Armrest (la, 1b) according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection means are configured to control the opening and / or closing of a door (7) of the vehicle (3) giving lateral access to the seat (2) equipped with the armrest (la, 1b).

3. Armrest (la, 1b) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the armrest (la, 1b) is designed to move from one of the first and second positions to the other by a rotation around an axis of rotation (AR), preferably an axis of rotation corresponding to a vertical axis of the vehicle.

4. Armrest (la, 1b) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a control (8) designed to allow and / or prevent the movement of the armrest (la, 1b) between its first and second positions and / or vice versa.

5. Armrest (la, 1b) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises means of movement designed to automatically move the armrest (la, 1b) between its first and second positions.

6. Armrest (la, 1b) according to claim 5, characterized in that the means of movement comprise at least one spring.

7. Armrest (la, 1b) according to claim 5, characterized in that the means of movement comprise at least one motor.

8. Motor vehicle seat (2) comprising at least one armrest (la, 1b) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 each fixed to the seat (2).

9. Motor vehicle (3) comprising at least one seat according to claim 8 associated with at least one door (7) allowing lateral access to the seat (2), the detection means being designed to control the opening and / or closing of a door (7) of the vehicle (3) associated with the armrest (la, 1b) according to its position, when the armrest (la, 1b) is moved between its first and second positions.

10. Motor vehicle (3) according to claim 9, in combination with claim 5, characterized in that the door (7) is motorized, the means of movement and detection being designed to coordinate the movements of the door (7) and the armrest (la, 1b).

Images