Armrest

Abstract

To provide an armrest of a type in which a cushion material is inserted into the inside of a skin together with a turn frame, wherein the cushion material is hardly displaced relative to the turn frame even without being bonded with an adhesive; the impression from use can be held good: and the degree of freedom in selecting a cushion material to be used can be enhanced.SOLUTION: An armrest includes a turn frame 10 that is attached to a seat of a vehicle so that the turn frame can vertically turn with respect to a seat of a vehicle, a bag-like skin having a frame insertion port, and a cushion material 30 to be inserted into the inside of the skin together with the turn frame through the frame insertion port. A skeleton member 40 having plural convex wall parts α which project outward is formed on the periphery of at least a distal end of the turn frame. The cushion material is provided with plural pairs of clamping wall parts β each of which clamps the convex wall part α from both sides. When the convex wall parts α of the skeleton member are clamped with the clamping wall parts β of the cushion material, the cushion material is positioned relative to the turn frame.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an armrest that is mounted to a seat. [Background technology]

[0002] As an armrest to be installed on a seat of a vehicle or the like, for example, as shown in Fig. 12 of Patent Document 1, there is known one that includes a rotating frame 11 that is attached to the seat in a state that it can rotate up and down, a bag-shaped skin 14 that covers the outside of the rotating frame 11, and a cushioning material 15 that is arranged between the skin 14 and the rotating frame 11. In the armrest of Patent Document 1, the cushioning material 15 is formed by injecting a foaming resin into the skin 14 and foaming it (see paragraph 0021 of the same document). The cushioning material 15 imparts cushioning properties to the armrest, improving the comfort of using the armrest. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-042311 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in armrests in which the foaming resin serving as the cushioning material is injected into the skin and foamed, the temperature when the foaming resin is injected or foamed, the composition of the foaming resin, etc. must be strictly controlled. In addition, if the foaming resin leaks into the mechanism of the armrest (the part that is provided on the base end side of the rotating frame and controls the up and down rotation of the rotating frame), it may cause a malfunction in the operation of the armrest, so the work of injecting the foaming resin must be done with great care. Even if such care is taken, there is a risk of poor adhesion between the skin or the rotating frame and the foaming resin, or of poor filling of the foaming resin. In addition, in order to check for the presence or absence of these malfunctions, destructive testing is generally performed, which is uneconomical.

[0005] Furthermore, the process of injecting the foaming resin that serves as the cushioning material into the skin and foaming it requires specialized equipment, so only a limited number of companies (chemical manufacturers) can handle it. Also, the skin is usually sewn into a bag shape, and only a limited number of companies (sewing manufacturers) can handle this sewing process. Furthermore, the rotating frame and mechanism of the armrest are generally handled by companies (machine manufacturers) other than the above-mentioned chemical manufacturers and sewing manufacturers.

[0006] For this reason, the chemical manufacturer must combine the skin received from the sewing manufacturer with the rotating frame, etc. received from the machine manufacturer, and then inject foaming resin into the skin. This complicates the manufacturing process of the armrest. In addition, it becomes necessary to transport the skin, rotating frame, etc., which not only increases carbon dioxide emissions but also requires the effort of arranging the packaging when transporting them. Such armrests are not suitable for small-scale production.

[0007] Furthermore, in recent years, there has been an increasing demand to recycle materials used, but in armrests where the cushioning material is made by injecting foaming resin into the cover, the cushioning material becomes integrated with the rotating frame, making it difficult to separate the cushioning material from the rotating frame cleanly, which makes recycling difficult.

[0008] In this regard, if the cushioning material is molded into a predetermined shape in advance and then inserted into the skin with the pivoting frame fitted into the cushioning material, the above problems related to transportation and recycling can be solved. However, in an armrest manufactured in this manner, the cushioning material is not integrated with the pivoting frame or the skin. As a result, the cushioning material may become displaced from the pivoting frame, for example, while the armrest is being used, which may result in a poor feeling of use of the armrest. In this regard, if the cushioning material is attached to the pivoting frame with an adhesive or the like, the cushioning material can be prevented from becoming displaced, but it becomes difficult to separate the cushioning material from the pivoting frame, making recycling difficult.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an armrest of the type in which cushioning material preformed into a predetermined shape is inserted into the cover together with a rotating frame, whereby the cushioning material is less likely to shift position relative to the rotating frame even without being attached with adhesive or the like, thereby maintaining a good usability and increasing the freedom of choice in the selection of the cushioning material to be used. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The above issues are: A rotating frame that is attached to the seat in a vertically rotatable state; a bag-shaped skin having a frame insertion opening for inserting a rotating frame; a cushioning material that is provided in a state of covering the outer surface of the rotating frame and is inserted into the skin from the inside of the frame insertion opening together with the rotating frame; An armrest comprising: A framework member having a plurality of outwardly protruding walls is provided at least on the outer periphery of the tip end of the rotating frame, The cushioning material has a plurality of pairs of sandwiching walls that sandwich the protruding wall from both sides, The cushioning material is positioned relative to the rotating frame by the sandwiching wall portion of the cushioning material sandwiching the protruding wall portion of the framework member. Armrest characterized by This is solved by providing

[0011] This allows the cushioning material to be engaged with the convex wall portion of the skeletal member, preventing it from moving relative to the rotating frame. By providing multiple convex wall portions of the skeletal member in multiple different directions, it is possible to make it even more difficult for the cushioning material to move relative to the rotating frame. The convex wall portions can be flat or curved. When the convex wall portions are curved, the clamping wall portions of the cushioning material are usually also curved (curved to imitate the convex wall portions).

[0012] In the armrest of the present invention, it is also preferable to integrally attach a skin reinforcing member to the skin in order to suppress deformation of the skin. The skin is usually made of fabric such as cloth or leather (including not only genuine leather but also synthetic leather), and such fabrics are flexible. Therefore, if a cushioning material is simply inserted into the skin, the skin and the cushioning material may move relative to each other, causing the shape of the armrest to be distorted, which may result in a poor feeling of use of the armrest. In this regard, by attaching the above-mentioned skin reinforcing member to the skin, deformation of the cross-sectional shape of the skin can be restricted, and the skin and the cushioning material can be made less likely to move relative to each other.

[0013] In the armrest of the present invention, it is also preferable that the cushioning material is structured so as to be divisible into a plurality of pieces, and that the dividing surfaces are the sandwiching walls. If the protruding walls of the framework member are provided in various directions, it becomes necessary to give the cushioning material a complex shape. However, by forming the cushioning material from a plurality of pieces as described above, it becomes easier to realize a cushioning material with such a complex shape. In addition, by using the dividing surfaces of the cushioning material as the sandwiching walls, it is also possible to reduce the number of cuts (cuts that constitute a pair of sandwiching walls) to be provided in the cushioning material. Furthermore, it is also possible to make it easier to attach the cushioning material to the framework member.

[0014] In the armrest of the present invention, it is preferable that the lower side of the rotating frame is a cushion-material-deficient area where no cushion material exists, and a sealing member made of a material different from the cushion material is fitted into the cushion-material-deficient area to seal the cushion-material-deficient area. This makes it possible to place cushion material made of high-quality material (genuine material) in the part that greatly affects the feeling of use of the armrest (upper side of the rotating frame, etc.), while placing a sealing member made of waste material, recycled material, etc. in the part that does not greatly affect the feeling of use of the armrest (lower side of the rotating frame). This makes it possible to make effective use of waste material and recycled material.

[0015] In the armrest of the present invention, it is preferable that the skeletal member is a separate member from the rotating frame. This allows the skeletal member to have a more complex shape, making it easier to position the cushioning material. The rotating frame, which requires strength, is made of a high-strength material (metal, etc.), while the skeletal member, which does not require much strength, can be made of resin (including mixed resins), waste materials, recycled materials, etc. When the skeletal member is a separate member from the rotating frame, the rotating frame can be made short (shorter than its original length) and the skeletal member can be attached to the tip side of the rotating frame, thereby adopting a structure in which the skeletal member extends the rotating frame to the tip side, and the armrest can be made lighter. Effect of the Invention

[0016] As described above, with the present invention, in an armrest of the type in which cushioning material preformed into a predetermined shape is inserted into the upholstery together with a rotating frame, the cushioning material is less likely to shift position relative to the rotating frame even without being attached with adhesive or the like, thereby maintaining a good usability and allowing greater freedom in selecting the cushioning material to be used. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cushioning material is attached to a rotating frame in the armrest of the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cushion material attached to a rotating frame is inserted into a cover in the armrest of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire armrest of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a framework member is attached to a rotating frame in the armrest of the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the entire armrest of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the armrest of the first embodiment cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a side view showing the entire armrest of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the armrest of the second embodiment taken along the Y3-Y3 plane in FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a side view showing the entire armrest of the third embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the armrest of the third embodiment taken along the Y4-Y4 plane in FIG. 9. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] The armrest of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the armrest of the present invention will be described using three embodiments (first to third embodiments) as examples. However, these embodiments are merely preferred embodiments, and the technical scope of the armrest of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The armrest of the present invention can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the invention.

[0019] 1. Armrest of the First Embodiment First, the armrest of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing how the cushion material 30 is assembled to the rotating frame 10 in the armrest of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how the cushion material 30 assembled to the rotating frame 10 is inserted into the cover 20 in the armrest of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the entire armrest of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing how the framework member 40 is attached to the rotating frame 10 in the armrest of the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the entire armrest of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the armrest of the first embodiment cut in a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction. FIG. 6(a) shows a cross section cut along the Y1-Y1 plane in FIG. 5, and FIG. 6(b) shows a cross section cut along the Y2-Y2 plane in the same figure.

[0020] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the armrest of the first embodiment includes a rotating frame 10 (Fig. 1), a cover 20 (Fig. 2), a cushion material 30 (Fig. 1), and a framework member 40 (Fig. 1).

[0021] The rotating frame 10 is attached to the seat in a state in which it can rotate up and down. A mechanism 50 is provided on the base end side of the rotating frame 10. This mechanism 50 allows the armrest to rotate up and down around a rotation center line L (FIG. 5) on the base end side. The rotating frame 10 is manufactured by pressing, bending, welding, or the like of metal. The rotating frame 10 may be provided over substantially the entire length of the armrest from the base end side to the tip end side, but in the armrest of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the rotating frame 10 is formed short (shorter than the original length over substantially the entire length of the armrest), and a structure is adopted in which the rotating frame 10 is extended to the tip end side by a framework member 40 attached to the tip end side of the rotating frame 10. The overall length of the armrest varies depending on the specifications, but by adopting this structure, it is possible to easily accommodate changes in the overall length of the armrest.

[0022] The skeleton member 40 is provided on the outer periphery of the tip side of the rotating frame 10. The skeleton member 40 is provided with a plurality of convex wall portions α that protrude outward. In the armrest of the first embodiment, four convex wall portions α that protrude horizontally are provided on each of the left and right sides of the skeleton member 40, four convex wall portions α that protrude upward are provided on the upper surface of the skeleton member 40, and two convex wall portions α that protrude downward are provided on the lower surface of the skeleton member 40. All of these convex wall portions α are flat, but they may also be curved. Also, convex wall portions α that protrude in an inclined direction other than the horizontal direction or the up-down direction may be provided.

[0023] In the armrest of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the skeletal member 40 is a separate member from the rotating frame 10, and the tip side of the rotating frame 10 is inserted inside the skeletal member 40 to attach the skeletal member 40 to the rotating frame 10. In the armrest of the first embodiment, the skeletal member 40 is separated not only from the rotating frame 10 but also from the cushion material 30, but the skeletal member 40 can also be formed integrally with the cushion material 30. For example, the skeletal member 40 can be provided by insert molding a resin or the like inside the cushion material 30 (space γ in FIG. 6). In this case, the rotating frame 10 is inserted into the skeletal member 40 inside the cushion material 30.

[0024] As described later, the skeletal member 40 fulfills the function of positioning the cushioning material 30, and by making the skeletal member 40 a separate member from the rotating frame 10, it is possible to make the skeletal member 40 have a more complex shape (a shape that makes it easier to position the cushioning material 30). In addition, since the skeletal member 40 is not required to be as strong as the rotating frame 10, it is possible to form the skeletal member 40 from resin (including mixed resins), waste materials, recycled materials, etc., while forming the rotating frame 10 from a high-strength material (metal, etc.). By forming the tip portion of the rotating frame 40 from the skeletal member 40, the weight of the armrest can also be reduced.

[0025] The cushion material 30 is intended to provide cushioning to the armrest, and is provided so as to cover the outer surfaces of the rotating frame 10 and the framework member 40. For this reason, a space γ is provided inside the cushion material 30 to accommodate the rotating frame 10 and the like, as shown in Fig. 6. The cushion material 30 is made of a foamed resin material (urethane foam, etc.) and is molded into a predetermined shape in advance. The cushion material 30 can also be made from waste materials, recycled materials, etc.

[0026] The cushion material 30 has a plurality of pairs of sandwiching wall portions β formed thereon, extending outward from the above-mentioned space γ (FIG. 6). The sandwiching wall portions β are portions for sandwiching the convex wall portion α of the framework member 40 from both sides. The arrangement and orientation of the sandwiching wall portions β are made to match the arrangement and orientation of the convex wall portion α. ​​This allows the cushion material 30 to be engaged with the convex wall portion α, and the cushion material 30 can be positioned relative to the rotating frame 10. This makes it possible to maintain a good usability of the armrest. In addition, since there is no need to glue the cushion material 30 to the rotating frame 10, recycling the cushion material 30 and the like becomes easier.

[0027] The cushion material 30 may be entirely made of one member, but in the armrest of the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the cushion material 30 is structured to be divisible into a plurality of pieces. Specifically, the cushion material 30 is structured to be divisible into an upper cushion material 31 that covers the upper side of the rotating frame 10 and a lower cushion material 32 that covers the lower side of the rotating frame 10. This makes it easier to form the cushion material 30 in a complex shape corresponding to the skeleton member 40 by providing the convex wall portion α of the skeleton member 40 in various directions. Also, it becomes possible to use the divided surfaces of the cushion material 30 as the sandwiching wall portions β.

[0028] 6, in the armrest of the first embodiment, among the multiple pairs of sandwiching walls β, the sandwiching walls β that sandwich the horizontal convex wall α form the dividing surfaces of the cushion material 30. In contrast, the sandwiching walls β that sandwich the upward convex wall α and the downward convex wall α form the inner wall surfaces of the cuts provided in the cushion material 30.

[0029] In the case where the cushion material 30 has a separable structure, the manner in which the cushion material 30 is separated is not limited to the above-mentioned (separated into upper and lower parts). The cushion material 30 can also be separated into left and right parts. The cushion material 30 can also be separated into three or more pieces.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, the skin 20 is a bag-shaped member for covering the outer surface of the armrest, and a frame insertion opening 21 is provided at the base end side. The skin 20 is manufactured by sewing fabric such as cloth or leather (including not only genuine leather but also synthetic leather). The skin 20 can also be formed from scraps or the like. As already mentioned, the cushion material 30 is formed in advance into a predetermined shape and is to be assembled to the rotating frame 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotating frame 10 to which the cushion material 30 is assembled is inserted into the skin 20 through the frame insertion opening 21. This completes the armrest shown in FIG. 3. If the skin 20 is made of a highly elastic fabric, the rotating frame 10 can be inserted into the skin 20 only through the circular frame insertion opening 21. However, if the skin 20 is made of a less elastic fabric, the rotating frame 10 cannot be inserted into the frame insertion opening 21. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 2, it is advisable to provide a slit-like cut in the frame insertion opening 21 so that the frame insertion opening 21 can be enlarged.

[0031] As described above, in the armrest of the first embodiment, the cushion material 30, which has been molded into a predetermined shape in advance, is inserted into the skin 20 together with the rotating frame 10, and yet the cushion material 30 is unlikely to shift position relative to the rotating frame 10. This makes it possible to maintain a good usability of the armrest. Also, since there is no need to foam the cushion material 30 inside the skin 20, the upper cushion material 31, which has a significant effect on the usability of the armrest, is made of high-quality material (genuine material), while the lower cushion material 32, which does not have a significant effect on the usability of the armrest, is made of waste material or recycled material, providing a high degree of freedom in the selection of materials used for the cushion materials.

[0032] 2. Armrest of Second Embodiment Next, an armrest of a second embodiment will be described. The armrest of the second embodiment will be described mainly focusing on the configuration different from that of the armrest of the first embodiment. Configurations of the armrest of the second embodiment that are not specifically mentioned can adopt the same configuration as that of the armrest of the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a side view showing the whole of the armrest of the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the armrest of the second embodiment cut along the Y3-Y3 plane in FIG. 7.

[0033] In the armrest of the second embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, a cushion-material-depleted region δ where no cushion material 30 exists is provided below the rotating frame 10, and a sealing member 60 made of a material different from the cushion material 30 is fitted into this cushion-material-depleted region δ. As shown in Fig. 7, the sealing member 60 is arranged along substantially the entire section from the base end to the tip end of the armrest. This makes it possible to arrange the cushion material 30 made of a high-quality material (genuine material) in the part that greatly affects the feeling of use of the armrest (the upper side of the rotating frame 10, etc.), while arranging the sealing member 60 made of waste material (urethane chips, etc.) or recycled material in the part that does not greatly affect the feeling of use of the armrest (the lower side of the rotating frame 10).

[0034] 3. Armrest of Third Embodiment Finally, an armrest of a third embodiment will be described. The armrest of the third embodiment will be described mainly focusing on the configuration different from that of the armrest of the second embodiment. Configurations of the armrest of the third embodiment that are not specifically mentioned can adopt the same configuration as that of the armrest of the second embodiment or the armrest of the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a side view showing the whole of the armrest of the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the armrest of the third embodiment cut along the Y4-Y4 plane in FIG. 9.

[0035] In the armrest of the third embodiment, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a skin reinforcing member 70 is attached integrally to the skin 20. The skin reinforcing member 70 is formed of a material (plastic material) that is more rigid than the skin 20. By providing this skin reinforcing member 70 integrally, deformation of the cross-sectional shape of the skin 20 can be restricted, and the cushion material 30 can be made less likely to move relative to the skin 20. This makes it difficult for the shape of the armrest to collapse, and the armrest can be maintained in a good state of feel when used.

[0036] As described above, the skin reinforcing member 70 is for restricting the deformation of the skin 20, and therefore has a shape that has a certain degree of width in the front-rear direction (the direction connecting the base end and the tip of the armrest) and the left-right direction (the width direction of the armrest). In addition, since the skin reinforcing member 70 is harder than the skin 20, if the skin reinforcing member 70 is provided in a portion of the skin 20 that is likely to be hit by the user's body (the upper surface or side surface of the skin 20), the feeling of use of the armrest may be deteriorated. Therefore, the skin reinforcing member 70 is provided in a portion of the skin 20 that is unlikely to be hit by the user's body (the lower surface of the skin 20). In the armrest of the third embodiment, the skin reinforcing member 70 is in the shape of a strip, and is provided in a portion from approximately the middle in the front-rear direction to the tip on the underside of the armrest (a portion along the lower surface of the skin 20).

[0037] 4.Other The armrest described above can be provided on various types of seats, but is particularly suitable for installation on seats of vehicles such as automobiles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 10 Rotating Frame 20 Epidermis 21 Frame insertion slot 30 Cushioning material 31 Upper cushioning material 32 Lower cushioning material 40 Skeleton members 50 Mechanism 60 Sealing member 70 Skin reinforcement member α Convex wall part β Clamping wall part γ Internal space of cushioning material δ Cushion material depletion region

Claims

1. A rotating frame that is attached to the seat in a vertically rotatable state; a bag-shaped skin having a frame insertion opening for inserting a rotating frame; a cushioning material that is provided in a state of covering the outer surface of the rotating frame and is inserted into the skin from the inside of the frame insertion opening together with the rotating frame; An armrest comprising: A framework member having a plurality of outwardly protruding walls is provided at least on the outer periphery of the tip end of the rotating frame, The cushioning material has a plurality of pairs of sandwiching walls that sandwich the protruding wall from both sides, The cushioning material is positioned relative to the rotating frame by the sandwiching wall portion of the cushioning material sandwiching the protruding wall portion of the framework member. The armrest is characterized by:

2. 2. The armrest according to claim 1, further comprising a skin reinforcing member for suppressing deformation of the skin, which is integrally attached to the skin.

3. The cushioning material is structured so that it can be separated into multiple pieces. At least some of the sandwiching wall portions among the plurality of sets of sandwiching wall portions are constituted by a dividing surface between one piece and another piece of the cushioning material. The armrest according to claim 1.

4. The lower side of the rotating frame is a cushioning material depleted area where no cushioning material exists, A sealing member made of a material different from the cushioning material is fitted into the cushioning material depletion region to seal the cushioning material depletion region. The armrest according to claim 1.

5. The framework member is a separate member from the rotating frame, The skeletal member is attached to the tip side of the rotating frame, so that the skeletal member extends the rotating frame to the tip side. The armrest according to claim 1.

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