Arm rest device

Abstract

To prevent articles on a table from being scattered when an armrest is moved to a storage position, in a configuration in which the table is attached to the armrest.SOLUTION: An armrest drive unit is capable of moving an armrest 18, to which a table 22 is attached, between a pulled-out position (shown by solid lines) in which the table 22 is positioned in front of a corresponding seat 10 and a stored position (shown by broken lines) in which the table 22 is pulled back above the seat 10. Further, an article detection unit detects an article present on the table 22. If an instruction to move the armrest 18 (and the table 22) from the pulled-out position to the stored position is given, the control unit causes the armrest drive unit to move the armrest 18 to the stored position when no article is detected by the article detection unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an armrest device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technique for controlling a drive unit so that when a disembarkation intention detection unit detects a passenger's intention to disembark, an armrest provided on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of a seat mounted on a vehicle is retracted to a position where the passenger can leave the seat without any obstacles.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A configuration has been proposed in which a table is attached to an armrest so that the table is located in front of the seat (in front of a passenger sitting on the seat) while the armrest is in the deployed position. In this configuration, when the armrest is in the deployed position, a passenger sitting on the seat can freely place an article such as a PC (Personal Computer) on the front table. Therefore, when the armrest is automatically moved to the storage position as in the technique described in Patent Document 1, if there is an article on the table, the article may be scattered as the armrest moves.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above facts, and an object thereof is to obtain an armrest device capable of suppressing scattering of an article existing on a table when the armrest is moved to the storage position in a configuration in which a table is attached to the armrest.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The armrest device according to the first aspect includes a drive unit capable of moving an armrest to which a table is attached between a deployed position where the table is located in front of a corresponding seat and a storage position where the table retracts above the seat, a detection unit that detects an article present on the table, and a control unit that, when the movement of the armrest from the deployed position to the storage position is instructed, moves the armrest to the storage position by the drive unit when the article is not detected by the detection unit.

[0007] In the first aspect, a table is attached to the armrest, and the drive unit is capable of moving the armrest between a deployed position where the table is located in front of the corresponding seat and a storage position where the table retracts above the seat. Further, the detection unit detects an article present on the table, and the control unit moves the armrest to the storage position by the drive unit when the article is not detected by the detection unit when the movement of the armrest from the deployed position to the storage position is instructed. Thereby, when an article is present on the table, the armrest is not moved to the storage position, so that it is possible to suppress the scattering of the article present on the table when the armrest is moved to the storage position.

[0008] According to a second aspect, in the first aspect, when the movement of the armrest from the deployed position to the storage position is instructed, the control unit waits for the drive unit to move the armrest to the storage position until the article is no longer detected by the detection unit when the article is detected by the detection unit.

[0009] In a second aspect, when the article is detected by the detection unit, the control unit waits for the drive unit to move the armrest to the storage position until the article is no longer detected by the detection unit. Thereby, in a configuration in which a table is attached to the armrest, it is possible to reliably suppress scattering of an article existing on the table when the armrest is moved to the storage position.

[0010] A third aspect is that, in the first aspect, when the movement of the armrest from the deployment position to the storage position is instructed, if the article is detected by the detection unit, the control unit causes the notification unit to output a first alarm for prompting removal of the article.

[0011] In a third aspect, when the movement of the armrest from the deployment position to the storage position is instructed, if the article is detected by the detection unit, the control unit causes the notification unit to output a first alarm for prompting removal of the article. Thereby, a passenger sitting on the seat can quickly remove the article from the table, and the armrest can be quickly moved to the storage position.

[0012] A fourth aspect is that, in the first aspect, when the control unit moves the armrest to the storage position by the drive unit, the control unit causes the notification unit to output a second alarm for prompting the attention of the passenger.

[0013] In a fourth aspect, when the control unit moves the armrest to the storage position by the drive unit, the control unit causes the notification unit to output a second alarm for prompting the attention of the passenger. Thereby, it is possible to prompt a passenger sitting on the seat to pay attention to the moving armrest, and to suppress the passenger from interfering with the moving armrest.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] The present disclosure has an effect of suppressing scattering of articles present on the table when moving the armrest to the storage position in a configuration where the table is attached to the armrest.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The seat 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a seat for the front seat or the rear seat of a vehicle, and includes a seat cushion 12, a seat back 14 erected above the rear end portion of the seat cushion 12 in the front-rear direction of the seat, and a headrest 16 connected to the upper end portion of the seat back 14.

[0017] At positions corresponding to the middle portions in the longitudinal direction of the seat back 14 on both the left and right side surfaces of the seat back 14, two first rotation shafts 20 extending in the left-right direction of the seat are respectively fixed. Further, a pair of left and right armrests 18 are respectively rotatably supported on the left and right first rotation shafts 20. The left and right armrests 18 are substantially V-shaped in side view. That is, the armrest 18 is integrally formed with a base portion 18A pivotally supported by the seat back 14 via the first rotation shaft 20 and an extension portion 18B provided at the tip of the base portion 18A.

[0018] The armrest 18 is rotatable relative to the seat back 14 between the deployed position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 and the stored position shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1 about the first rotation axis 20. Also, a first stopper mechanism (not shown) is provided between the first rotation axis 20 and the armrest 18. The first stopper mechanism restricts the armrest 18 from rotating forward from the deployed position and from rotating backward from the stored position.

[0019] Further, a second rotation axis 24 extending in the left - right direction of the seat is spanned at the tip of the extending portion 18B of the pair of left - and - right armrests 18, and a table 22 is rotatably supported on the second rotation axis 24. The table 22 is rotatable relative to the armrest 18 between the deployed position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 and the stored position shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1 about the second rotation axis 24. Also, a second stopper mechanism (not shown) is provided between the second rotation axis 24 and the table 22. The second stopper mechanism restricts the rotation of the table 22 between the deployed position and the stored position.

[0020] With the above configuration, when the armrest 18 is in the deployed position, the table 22 is located in front of the seat 10, and when the armrest 18 is in the stored position, the table 22 retracts above the seat 10. Also, in this embodiment, when the armrest 18 is in the deployed position, the table 22 is also positioned in the deployed position. In this case, the upper surface of the table 22 is approximately horizontal, and it is possible to place articles such as a cup 26 on the upper surface of the table 22. Further, in this embodiment, when the armrest 18 is in the stored position, the table 22 is also positioned in the stored position. In this case, the table 22 will be hidden behind the extending portion 18B of the armrest 18 in side view.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the armrest device 30 according to the present embodiment includes an instruction detection unit 32, an article detection unit 34, a control unit 36, an armrest drive unit 38, a table drive unit 40, and a notification unit 42. The instruction detection unit 32, the article detection unit 34, the armrest drive unit 38, the table drive unit 40, and the notification unit 42 are each connected to the control unit 36.

[0022] The instruction detection unit 32 detects a movement instruction (a movement instruction from the storage position to the deployment position and a movement instruction from the deployment position to the storage position) of the armrest 18 (and the table 22) by a passenger sitting on the seat 10, and outputs the detection result to the control unit 36. In the present embodiment, the above movement instruction by the passenger is realized by voice or a switch operation. For this reason, the instruction detection unit 32 is capable of detecting a movement instruction by voice and a movement instruction by a switch operation, respectively.

[0023] The article detection unit 34 detects whether or not an article exists on the table 22 in a state where the armrest 18 and the table 22 are located at the deployment position, and outputs the detection result to the control unit 36. The article detection unit 34 includes, for example, a camera capable of photographing the upper surface of the table 22 in a state where the armrest 18 and the table 22 are located at the deployment position, and a processing unit that determines the presence or absence of an article existing on the table 22 from an image photographed by the camera. The article detection unit 34 is an example of the detection unit in the present disclosure. Note that the presence or absence of an article existing on the table 22 can also be detected by, for example, a load sensor instead of the camera.

[0024] The armrest drive unit 38 includes a drive source such as a motor, and is capable of rotating the armrest 18 (and the table 22) between the deployment position and the storage position with respect to the seat 10 by the driving force of the drive source. The drive of the armrest drive unit 38 is controlled by the control unit 36. The armrest drive unit 38 is an example of the drive unit in the present disclosure.

[0025] The table drive unit 40 includes a drive source such as a motor, and is configured to rotate the table 22 between the deployed position and the stored position with respect to the armrest 18 by the driving force of the drive source. The driving of the table drive unit 40 is controlled by the control unit 36.

[0026] The notification unit 42 includes a display 42A and an audio output unit 42B. The notification unit 42 is capable of outputting a first alarm for prompting removal of an article from above the table 22 or a second alarm for prompting a passenger's attention to the armrest 18 that is to be moved to the stored position, according to an instruction from the control unit 36. The notification unit 42 is an example of the notification unit according to the present disclosure.

[0027] The control unit 36 is composed of an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and an SSD (Solid State Drive). A program for causing the CPU of the ECU to function as the control unit 36 is stored in the storage unit. When the movement of the armrest 18 (and the table 22) from the deployed position to the stored position is instructed, the control unit 36 rotates the armrest 18 (and the table 22) to the stored position by the armrest drive unit 38 when no article is detected on the table 22 by the article detection unit 34.

[0028] Next, as an operation of the present embodiment, the armrest storage process executed by the control unit 36 while the armrest 18 (and the table 22) is in the deployed position will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0029] In step 50 of the armrest storage process, the control unit 36 obtains from the instruction detection unit 32 the detection result of an instruction (armrest storage instruction) to move the armrest 18 (and the table 22) from the deployed position to the stored position. In step 52, based on the detection result obtained in step 50, the control unit 36 determines whether there is an armrest storage instruction from the occupant sitting on the seat 10. If the determination in step 52 is negative, the process returns to step 50, and steps 50 and 52 are repeated until the determination in step 52 is affirmative.

[0030] When the occupant sitting on the seat gives an instruction to move the armrest 18 (and the table 22) from the deployed position to the stored position by voice or switch operation, the instruction (armrest storage instruction) is detected by the instruction detection unit 32. As a result, the determination in step 52 is affirmative and the process proceeds to step 54.

[0031] In step 54, the control unit 36 obtains from the article detection unit 34 the detection result of the article on the table 22. In the next step 56, based on the detection result obtained in step 54, the control unit 36 determines whether there is an article on the table 22.

[0032] If the determination in step 56 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 58. In step 58, the control unit 36 causes the notification unit 42 to output a first alarm requesting the removal of the article from the table 22. The output of the first alarm from the notification unit 42 is achieved, for example, by displaying a message such as "Please clear the table." on the display 42A and outputting a voice reading the same message from the voice output unit 42B.

[0033] When the process of step 58 is performed, the process returns to step 54, and steps 54 to 58 are repeated until the determination in step 56 is negative. As a result, until the article existing on the table 22 is removed, the output of the first alarm from the notification unit 42 is continued, so that the article existing on the table 22 will be removed by the occupant sitting on the seat 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the articles that were present on the table 22 from being scattered as the armrest 18 (and the table 22) moves to the storage position.

[0034] On the other hand, when there is no article on the table 22 from the beginning, or when the article existing on the table 22 has been removed by the occupant, the determination in step 56 is negative and the process proceeds to step 60.

[0035] In step 60, the control unit 36 causes the notification unit 42 to output a second alarm that prompts attention to the movement of the table 22 and the armrest 18. The output of the second alarm from the notification unit 42 is achieved by, for example, displaying a message such as "The armrest will be stored. Please be careful." on the display 42A and outputting a voice that reads the same message from the voice output unit 42B. As a result, the second alarm output from the notification unit 42 prevents the moving armrest 18 (table 22) from interfering with the occupant.

[0036] In step 62, the control unit 36 rotates the armrest 18 to the storage position by the armrest drive unit 38. Further, in step 64, the control unit 36 rotates the table 22 to the storage position by the table drive unit 40, and ends the armrest storage process. Note that the rotation of the armrest 18 and the table 22 to the storage position is not limited to performing the rotation of the armrest 18 first. The rotation of the table 22 may be performed first, or the rotation of the armrest 18 and the rotation of the table 22 may be performed simultaneously.

[0037] Thus, in the present embodiment, the armrest drive unit 38 is capable of moving the armrest 18 to which the table 22 is attached between a deployed position where the table 22 is positioned in front of the corresponding seat 10 and a stored position where the table 22 retracts above the seat 10. Further, the article detection unit 34 detects an article present on the table 22. And when the movement of the armrest 18 (and the table 22) from the deployed position to the stored position is instructed, the control unit 36 moves the armrest 18 to the stored position by the armrest drive unit 38 when no article is detected by the article detection unit 34. Thereby, in the configuration where the table 22 is attached to the armrest 18, it is possible to suppress the scattering of the article present on the table 22 when moving the armrest 18 to the stored position.

[0038] Also, in the present embodiment, when the movement of the armrest 18 from the deployed position to the stored position is instructed, if an article is detected by the article detection unit 34, the control unit 36 waits for the armrest drive unit 38 to move the armrest 18 to the stored position until the article is no longer detected by the article detection unit 34. Thereby, in the configuration where the table 22 is attached to the armrest 18, it is possible to surely suppress the scattering of the article present on the table 22 when moving the armrest 18 to the stored position.

[0039] Also, in the present embodiment, when the movement of the armrest 18 from the deployed position to the stored position is instructed, if an article is detected by the article detection unit 34, the control unit 36 causes the notification unit 42 to output a first alarm for prompting the removal of the article. Thereby, the occupant seated on the seat 10 can quickly remove the article from the table 22, and the armrest 18 can be quickly moved to the stored position.

[0040] Further, in the present embodiment, when the control unit 36 moves the armrest 18 to the storage position by the armrest drive unit 38, the control unit 36 causes the notification unit 42 to output a second alarm for prompting the attention of the occupant. Thereby, it is possible to prompt the occupant sitting on the seat to pay attention to the moving armrest, and it is possible to suppress the occupant from interfering with the moving armrest.

[0041] In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the table 22 is rotatable with respect to the armrest 18 and the table 22 is rotated by the table drive unit 40 has been described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the table 22 may be fixed to the armrest 18.

[0042] In the above embodiment, the aspect in which a pair of armrests 18 are provided on both the left and right sides of the seat back 14 of the seat 10 has been described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the armrest 18 may be provided on only one of the left and right sides.

[0043] In the above embodiment, the aspect in which the armrest storage instruction is made by voice or switch operation has been described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, when the seat belt release button is turned on or the vehicle door opening / closing lever is operated, the instruction detection unit 32 may detect it as an armrest storage instruction on the assumption that the occupant indicates an intention to leave the seat 10. Further, for example, when a stopped vehicle starts running or a vehicle running in the automatic driving mode switches to the manual driving mode, these may be detected as armrest storage instructions.

[0044] In the above, the aspect in which a program for causing the ECU to function as the control unit 36 in the present disclosure is pre-stored (installed) in the storage unit has been described. However, the above program can also be provided in a form recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as an HDD, an SSD, or a DVD.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0045] 10 sheets 18 armrests 22 tables 30 armrest devices 34 article detection unit (detection unit) 36 control unit 38 armrest drive unit (drive unit) 42 notification unit

Claims

1. A drive unit capable of moving an armrest with a table attached between a deployed position where the table is located in front of the corresponding seat and a storage position where the table retracts above the seat; A detection unit for detecting an article present on the table; A control unit that, when the movement of the armrest from the deployed position to the storage position is instructed and when the article is not detected by the detection unit, moves the armrest to the storage position by the drive unit; An armrest device including the above.

2. The control unit according to claim 1, when the movement of the armrest from the deployed position to the storage position is instructed and when the article is detected by the detection unit, waits for the drive unit to move the armrest to the storage position until the article is no longer detected by the detection unit.

3. The control unit according to claim 1, when the movement of the armrest from the deployed position to the storage position is instructed and when the article is detected by the detection unit, causes the notification unit to output a first alarm for prompting the removal of the article.

4. The control unit according to claim 1, when moving the armrest to the storage position by the drive unit, causes the notification unit to output a second alarm for prompting the attention of the occupant.

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