Armrests and vehicle seats

Abstract

To obtain an armrest and vehicle seat equipped with a cup holder capable of stably holding even large cups. [Solution] An opening 48A is formed at the lower end of the holder portion 48 of the cup holder portion 24, and the opening 48A can be opened and closed by the bottom cover 84. Therefore, when the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 is closed by the bottom cover 84, the cup inserted into the holder portion 48 is supported by the inner surface 48B of the holder portion 48 and the bottom cover 84, and when the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 is open, the cup is supported by the inner surface 48B of the holder portion 48. In this way, by opening and closing the opening 48A of the holder portion 48, it is possible to stably hold the cup according to its size.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an armrest and a vehicle seat.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses an armrest provided on a vehicle seat. This armrest has a main body portion and an article holding portion. The article holding portion is a cup holder and has a bottom plate portion provided in a through hole and a string that supports the bottom plate portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above prior art, when the size of the cup to be held in the cup holder is large, the center of gravity of the cup is high and unstable, so the holding of the cup becomes unstable during vehicle running.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to obtain an armrest and a vehicle seat provided with a cup holder that can stably hold even a large-sized cup.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The first embodiment of the armrest includes a cylindrical cup holder portion provided on the armrest body, which penetrates the armrest body in the vertical direction and into which a cup can be inserted, and which is tapered so as to gradually decrease in diameter along the direction in which the cup is inserted, and a bottom cover which is separated from the main body portion and is positioned on the lower surface side of the armrest body and is provided so as to be slidable or rotatable with respect to the armrest body, and which opens or closes an opening formed at the lower end of the cup holder portion, and supports the cup from below when the opening is closed.

[0007] The armrest of the first embodiment includes a cup holder and a bottom cover. The cup holder extends through the armrest body in the vertical direction, allowing a cup to be inserted, and is tapered so that its diameter gradually decreases along the direction of cup insertion. Therefore, it is possible to hold cups of different diameters in the cup holder.

[0008] On the other hand, the bottom cover is configured separately from the cup holder section and is positioned on the underside of the armrest body. It is slidable or rotatable relative to the armrest body and opens or closes (opens and closes) the opening formed at the lower end of the cup holder section. When the opening of the cup holder section is closed, it supports the cup inserted into the cup holder section from below.

[0009] Thus, in this embodiment, an opening is formed at the lower end of the cup holder portion, and the bottom cover allows the opening to be opened and closed. Therefore, when the opening of the cup holder portion is closed by the bottom cover, the cup inserted into the cup holder portion is supported by the inner surface of the cup holder portion and the bottom cover. On the other hand, when the opening of the cup holder portion is open, the cup is supported by the inner surface of the cup holder portion.

[0010] Generally, when a cup is large, the center of gravity is higher than when a cup is small, making it difficult to hold the cup stably. However, in this embodiment, by opening and closing the opening of the cup holder, it becomes possible to stably hold the cup according to its size.

[0011] The second embodiment of the armrest is an armrest according to the first embodiment, wherein the cup holder portion is provided with a slider that is slidable along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion and moves the bottom cover along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion.

[0012] In the armrest of the second embodiment, a slider is provided in the cup holder portion. The slider is provided so as to be slidable along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion, and moves the bottom cover along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion.

[0013] In this embodiment, when opening the bottom cover of the cup holder from a state where the bottom cover is closed, the bottom cover can be moved downward along the vertical direction of the armrest body by a slider. This makes it possible to avoid interference between the bottom cover and the armrest body when opening and closing the bottom cover.

[0014] The third embodiment of the armrest is an armrest according to the first or second embodiment, wherein the cup holder portion has an engaging projection formed thereon that engages with the slider and moves the slider along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion.

[0015] In the third embodiment of the armrest, an engaging projection is formed on the cup holder portion. A slider engages with this engaging projection, and the slider is able to move along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion via the engaging projection.

[0016] The fourth embodiment of the armrest is an armrest according to any one of the first to third embodiments, wherein the engaging projection is provided with a stopper that restricts the downward movement of the slider.

[0017] In the fourth embodiment of the armrest, a stopper is provided on the engaging projection formed on the cup holder portion, and the downward movement of the slider is restricted via the stopper. This makes it possible to prevent the bottom cover from falling off.

[0018] The fifth embodiment of the armrest is an armrest according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, wherein the lower end of the cup holder portion is provided with an engaging portion, and the bottom cover is provided with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion when the opening is closed.

[0019] In the fifth embodiment of the armrest, an engaging portion is provided at the lower end of the cup holder portion, and an engaged portion is provided on the bottom cover that engages with the engaging portion when the opening of the cup holder portion is closed. In this embodiment, when the opening of the cup holder portion is closed by the bottom cover, the engaged portion provided on the bottom cover engages with the engaging portion provided on the cup holder portion, thus improving the holding force for the cup compared to when the opening of the cup holder portion is simply closed by the bottom cover.

[0020] The sixth embodiment of the armrest is an armrest according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments, wherein the lower end of the slider is provided with a hinge portion having an axis along the width direction of the armrest body, and the bottom cover is rotatably provided around the hinge portion.

[0021] In the armrest of the sixth aspect, a hinge portion is provided at the lower end of the slider. This hinge portion is provided such that the bottom lid is rotatable about a hinge portion having an axis along the width direction of the armrest body. In this aspect, by rotating the bottom lid about the shaft portion, it becomes possible to open and close the opening of the cup holder portion. Further, by connecting the bottom lid and the slider via the hinge portion, it becomes possible to prevent the loss of the bottom lid.

[0022] In addition, when opening and closing the opening of the cup holder portion, in addition to this aspect, there are cases where the bottom lid is slid along the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction of the vehicle) of the armrest body with respect to the armrest body, and cases where it is rotated about an axis along the vertical direction of the armrest body.

[0023] The armrest of the seventh aspect is the armrest according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, and the bottom lid is set to be temporarily fixed to the lower surface of the armrest body in a state where the opening is open. <(

[0024] In the armrest of the seventh aspect, since the bottom lid is set to be temporarily fixed to the lower surface of the armrest body in a state where the opening of the cup holder portion is open, it is possible to suppress the generation of abnormal noise caused by the interference between the armrest body and the bottom lid due to vibration in a state where the opening is open.

[0025] The armrest of the eighth aspect is the armrest according to the seventh aspect, and a magnetic attachment member is provided on either one of the lower surface of the bottom lid and the lower surface of the armrest body, and a magnetizable member magnetized to the magnetic attachment member is provided on the other.

[0026] In the armrest according to the eighth aspect, for example, a magnetic member is provided on the lower surface of the bottom cover, and a magnetizable member magnetically attached to the magnetic member is provided on the lower surface of the armrest body. In this aspect, since the bottom cover rotates about a shaft portion along the width direction of the armrest body, the magnetic member provided on the lower surface of the bottom cover can be magnetically attached to the magnetizable member provided on the lower surface of the armrest body with the opening of the cup holder portion being open.

[0027] Thereby, in this aspect, the bottom cover can be temporarily fixed to the armrest body. Further, in this aspect, since magnetic attachment using the magnetic member and the magnetizable member is employed, it is possible to easily temporarily fix and release the fixation of the bottom cover with respect to the armrest body.

[0028] Here, for example, magnets may be used as the magnetic member and the magnetizable member, respectively. Further, a magnet may be used as the magnetic member, and a metal to which the magnet can be magnetically attached may be used as the magnetizable member. Furthermore, in this aspect, the magnetic member is provided on the lower surface of the bottom cover and the magnetizable member is provided on the lower surface of the armrest body, but the magnetic member may be provided on the lower surface side of the armrest body and the magnetizable member may be provided on the lower surface side of the bottom cover.

[0029] The vehicle seat according to the ninth aspect includes a seat cushion on which a vehicle occupant sits, a seat back that supports the back of the occupant, and the armrest according to any one of claims 1 to 8 to which the armrest body is attached to the seat back.

[0030] In the vehicle seat according to the ninth aspect, it includes a seat cushion, a seat back, and an armrest. In this aspect, the armrest body is attached to the seat back, whereby it becomes possible to enjoy the effects obtained by the armrest according to any one of the first to eighth aspects.

Effects of the Invention

[0031] As described above, the armrest and vehicle seat according to the present invention can stably hold even large cups. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0032] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a vehicle seat according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the armrest according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the armrest according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is an exploded perspective view of the cup holder and slider that constitute the armrest according to this embodiment, as seen from the left front and below the seat. [Figure 5] This is an exploded perspective view taken from the left rear and below the seat, showing the cup holder and slider that constitute the armrest according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] (A) is a perspective view from the left rear and above side of the seat showing the cup holder that constitutes the armrest according to this embodiment, (B) is a partially enlarged view showing the hinge portion and bottom cover of the slider, and (B) is a partially enlarged view showing the engaged state of the holder and slider as seen from the front side. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the cup holder that constitutes the armrest according to this embodiment, taken from the left rear and above side of the seat. [Figure 8] (A) is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the upper part of the engaging projection of the cup holder constituting the armrest according to this embodiment, viewed from the left front and above side of the seat, and (B) is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the lower part of the engaging projection, viewed from the left front and above side of the seat. [Figure 9] (A) is a perspective view of the armrest according to this embodiment, taken from the left rear and above side of the seat, showing the cup holder opening in a closed state, and (B) is a perspective view taken from the left front and below side of the seat. [Figure 10](A) is a perspective view from the left rear and above of the seat showing the cup holder opening in the armrest according to this embodiment, and (B) is a perspective view from the left front and below of the seat showing one side of the cup holder closed and the other side open. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of the bottom cover of the cup holder that constitutes the armrest according to this embodiment, as seen from the left front and above side of the seat. [Figure 12] (A) is a perspective view of the bottom cover of the cup holder that constitutes the armrest according to this embodiment, viewed from the left rear and above side of the seat, and (B) is a perspective view viewed from the left rear and below side of the seat. [Figure 13] (A) is a perspective view from the left rear and above side of the seat, showing the cup holder of the armrest according to this embodiment with the slider and bottom cover removed, and (B) is a partially enlarged perspective view of part A shown in (A). [Figure 14] (A) is a perspective view from the left rear and below of the seat showing the cup holder that constitutes the armrest according to this embodiment, and (B) is a partially enlarged perspective view of part B shown in (A). [Figure 15] Figure 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the CC line, illustrating the operation of the cup holder that constitutes the armrest according to this embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 15, illustrating the operation of the cup holder that constitutes the armrest according to this embodiment. [Figure 17] Figure 10 shows a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the DD line, illustrating the operation of the cup holder that constitutes the armrest according to this embodiment. [Figure 18] (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in Figure 7, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in Figure 7. [Figure 19] This is a comparative example and is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 17. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0033] A cup holder according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that some reference numerals may be omitted in the drawings for clarity.

[0034] Figure 1 shows a vehicle seat 10 equipped with a cup holder portion 24 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, this vehicle seat 10 is a rear seat for three people and comprises a seat cushion 12 on which the vehicle occupants sit, a seat back 14 that supports the occupants' backs, and three headrests 16 that support the occupants' heads.

[0035] In the following diagrams, the arrows FR indicate the forward direction of the vehicle seat (the direction the occupant faces), the arrow UP indicates the upward direction of the vehicle seat, and the arrow RH indicates the right direction of the vehicle seat. Hereafter, when simply using the directions of front / back, up / down, and left / right, unless otherwise specified, these refer to the front / back of the vehicle seat, the up / down direction of the vehicle seat, and the left / right direction of the vehicle seat when facing the direction of travel.

[0036] The seatback 14 is, for example, a 6:4 split-folding type, divided into a right seatback 14R for two people and a left seatback 14L for one person. Two headrests 16 are attached to the upper end of the right seatback 14R, and one headrest 16 is attached to the upper end of the left seatback 14L.

[0037] <Armrest configuration> An armrest 20 according to this embodiment is attached to the left portion of the right seat back 14R. The armrest 20 is rotatable relative to the right seat back 14R between the deployed position shown in Figure 1 and the stored position in which it is stored within a recess 18 formed in the left portion of the right seat back 14R.

[0038] Furthermore, when the armrest 20 is in the extended position, the front-to-back, left-to-right, up-to-down directions of the armrest 20 coincide with the front-to-back, left-to-right, up-to-down directions of the vehicle seat 10. And when the armrest 20 is extended, a gap is provided in the vertical direction between the armrest 20 and the seat cushion 12.

[0039] On the other hand, when the armrest 20 is in the stowed position, the front-to-back direction of the armrest 20 coincides with the up-and-down direction of the seat back 14, the left-to-right direction of the armrest 20 coincides with the left-to-right direction of the vehicle seat 10, and the up-and-down direction of the armrest 20 coincides with the front-to-back direction of the seat back 14. Hereafter, when describing the front-to-back, left-to-right, up-and-down directions with respect to the armrest 20, the directions will refer to the state when the armrest 20 is in the extended position.

[0040] The armrest 20 comprises an armrest body 22 that is rotatably attached to the right seat back 14R, and a cup holder portion 24 attached to the armrest body 22.

[0041] (Armrest body) As shown in Figure 3, the armrest body 22 comprises a trim cover 26 which is the outer covering, a pad 28 which is the cushioning material, and a frame 30 which is the skeletal member.

[0042] The trim cover 26 is constructed in a bag-like shape by sewing together multiple surface pieces made of fabric, leather, or synthetic leather. The pad 28 is made of a foam material such as urethane foam and has a long, roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with the front-to-back direction as the longitudinal direction, the left-to-right direction as the width direction, and the up-to-down direction of the armrest body 22 as the thickness direction. The surface of this pad 28 is covered by the trim cover 26. The trim cover 26 may be integrally foam-molded with the pad 28.

[0043] On the other hand, the frame 30 is formed by insert molding, embedding it within the pad 28 and integrating it with the pad 28. The frame 30 includes a pipe frame 36 made of bent metal pipe material and a pair of left and right rear brackets 38 made of press-formed metal plate material. Connecting shafts 42 that protrude outward in the left-right direction of the armrest are fixed to the rear ends of the left and right rear brackets 38, respectively.

[0044] The left and right connecting shafts 42 are cylindrical in shape with their axial direction in the left-right direction of the armrest and are arranged coaxially. The left and right connecting shafts 42 are pivotally supported on a frame (not shown) of the right seat back 14R (see Figure 1). As a result, the frame 30, i.e., the armrest body 22, is connected to the right seat back 14R so as to be rotatable around the left and right connecting shafts 42. A pair of left and right support frames 46, on which the cup holder portion 24 is supported, are fixed to the front end of the frame 30.

[0045] The cup holder section 24 shown in Figure 2 is formed, for example, by resin injection molding, and is provided with two holder sections 48. The holder section 48R located on the right and the holder section 48L located on the left are in communication, and the cup holder section 24 can also be used as a small storage compartment for smartphones and other small items.

[0046] In the following, the components common to both the holder portion 48R and the holder portion 48L will be described as the holder portion 48, without distinction between left and right. The holder portion 48 is formed in a cylindrical shape that extends vertically and is tapered so that its diameter gradually decreases towards the downward side (the direction in which the cup is inserted). An opening 48A is formed at the lower end of each holder portion 48.

[0047] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, a pad-side housing portion 32 capable of accommodating the cup holder portion 24 is formed at the front end of the pad 28. Also, a cover-side housing portion 34 overlapping the pad-side housing portion 32 is formed at the front end of the trim cover 26. Furthermore, circular through holes 32A communicating with the opening 48A are formed on the left and right sides of the bottom wall of the pad-side housing portion 32. Similarly, circular communication openings 34A communicating with the through holes 32A are formed on the left and right sides of the bottom wall of the cover-side housing portion 34. In other words, the armrest body 22 is formed to penetrate in the vertical direction.

[0048] Furthermore, a flange portion 52 extends outward from the upper opening of the cup holder portion 24 around its entire circumference. This flange portion 52 covers the upper opening of the cover-side housing portion 34 of the trim cover 26.

[0049] (Holder part) As shown in Figures 4, 13(A), and 13(B), the cup holder portion 24 has a pair of slits 56 formed along the vertical direction of the holder portion 48 at the lower end of the front center of the holder portion 48 (holder portion 48R, holder portion 48L). An engaging piece 58 is provided between the slits 56 and is elastically deformable along the radial direction of the holder portion 48. A claw portion (engaging portion) 60 is formed at the tip of the engaging piece 58, protruding from the lower end of the holder portion 48 and toward the front side of the holder portion 48.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, an engaging projection 62 is provided on the rear outer center of the holder portion 48, extending in the vertical direction of the holder portion 48. The slider 70, which will be described later, can be engaged with this engaging projection 62.

[0051] The engaging projection 62 has a cross-sectional shape that is approximately T-shaped when cut along the horizontal direction, and is composed of a long plate-shaped main body guide portion 64 arranged along the left-right direction of the cup holder portion 24, and a connecting portion 66 that is provided along the vertical direction in the same way as the main body guide portion 64 at the center of the left-right direction of the main body guide portion 64 and connects the main body guide portion 64 and the holder portion 48.

[0052] Furthermore, an upper convex rib 62A, a lower convex rib 62B, and a stopper 62C protrude from the left and right sides of the connecting portion 66, respectively, in directions that separate them from each other. The upper convex rib 62A is provided on the upper end side of the engaging projection 62. The lower convex rib 62B is provided on the lower end side of the engaging projection 62, and the stopper 62C is provided at the lower end of the engaging projection 62 (as will be described later). In addition, a pair of vertical ribs 68 are provided on the lower side of the engaging projection 62, located outside of the engaging projection 62.

[0053] (slider) Now, let's explain slider 70.

[0054] The slider 70 shown in Figures 4 and 5 is formed, for example, by resin injection molding, and consists of a slide body portion 72 and a hinge body portion 74. The slide body portion 72 is provided on the upper side of the slider 70, and the hinge body portion 74 is provided on the lower side of the slider 70.

[0055] The slide body portion 72 is shaped to cover the engaging projection 62 provided on the holder portion 48, and its cross-sectional shape, when cut along the horizontal direction, is roughly U-shaped with an opening at the front. As shown in Figure 6(C), a pair of guide pieces 76 protrude from the open end of the central part of the slide body portion 72 in the vertical direction, bending toward each other, and cover the front surface of the main body guide portion 64 of the engaging projection 62. Then, as shown in Figure 7, the slider 70 is slidable along the vertical direction of the holder portion 48 via the slide body portion 72 via the engaging projection 62.

[0056] As shown in Figure 6(C), a pair of engaging pieces 78 protrude from the upper side of the guide piece 76, bending toward each other from the open end of the upper end of the slider 70. The pair of engaging pieces 78 have recesses 80 that bulge toward each other. These recesses 80 can engage with the upper convex rib 62A formed on the connecting portion 66 of the engaging projection 62, the lower convex rib 62B as shown in Figures 8(A) and (B), and the stopper 62C, respectively.

[0057] Here, as shown in Figures 6(C) and 8(A), the upper convex rib 62A and the lower convex rib 62B are formed in an arc shape along the vertical direction, and the recess 80 formed in the engaging piece 78 of the slider 70 is movable along the vertical direction. On the other hand, the stopper 62C is angular, and when the recess 80 is engaged with the lower convex rib 62B, the lower end of the engaging piece 78 abuts against it, restricting the downward movement of the slider 70.

[0058] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 4 and 6(B), the hinge body portion 74 hangs downward from the front of the slide body portion 72 and is positioned below the guide piece 76. A shaft portion 82 is provided at the lower end of the hinge body portion 74. This shaft portion 82 protrudes rearward from the hinge body portion 74 and is positioned below the main body guide portion 64.

[0059] Therefore, a recessed area 75 is formed between the slide body 72 and the hinge body 74, which protrudes in a roughly rectangular shape toward the front. This recessed area 75 is formed such that its vertical dimension is approximately the same as the thickness of the bottom cover 84.

[0060] Furthermore, the shaft portion 82 is provided with a hinge pin (hinge portion) 82A whose axis is in the left-right direction. As shown in Figures 6(A) and (B), this hinge pin 82A is pivotally supported by a pair of shaft plates 84A that are erected along the front-rear direction on the bottom cover 84.

[0061] Therefore, the bottom cover 84 is made rotatable along the front-rear direction around the hinge pin 82A via the hinge pin 82A. This rotation of the bottom cover 84 allows the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 to be closed, as shown in Figure 9(A), or, as shown in Figure 10(A), allows the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 to be opened.

[0062] (bottom lid) Now, let's explain the bottom cover 84.

[0063] As shown in Figure 11, the bottom cover 84 is formed by a resin plate 85 that is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from above, with the front and rear edges curving outwards in a direction that separates them from each other, and connected to the left and right edges. Below this resin plate 85, a pad 86 formed in the same shape as the resin plate 85 is provided, with its surface covered by a trim 88, and is integrated with the resin plate 85 via adhesive or the like, as shown in Figures 12(A) and (B).

[0064] The pair of shaft plates 84A mentioned above are located in the center of the rear end of the bottom cover 84 (resin plate 85). In addition, a notch 90 forming an H shape in plan view is formed in the center of the front end of the bottom cover 84 (resin plate 85). The inside of this notch 90 is composed of a pair of elastic pieces (engaged parts) 92, as shown in Figures 14(A) and (B).

[0065] The pair of elastic pieces 92 are capable of engaging with the claw portion 60 of the engaging piece 58, which is formed at the lower end of the front center of the holder portion 48 of the cup holder portion 24 shown in Figures 13(A) and (B) (see Figure 14(B)). As shown in Figure 11, a rectangular recess 94 is provided on the upper surface of the pad 86 at a position opposite to the notch portion 90 formed in the resin plate 85, so that interference with the claw portion 60 can be avoided when the claw portion 60 is engaged with the resin plate 85 (see the enlarged view shown in Figure 15).

[0066] As shown in Figures 14(A) and (B), the bottom cover 84 maintains a closed state when the claw portion 60 of the engaging piece 58 formed on the holder portion 48 is engaged with the elastic piece 92 of the notch 90 formed on the bottom cover 84. The engagement force between the pair of elastic pieces 92 and the claw portion 60 is preset to be sufficient to hold the cup. Furthermore, when the bottom cover 84 is closed, the hinge body portion 74 of the slider 70 is supported from the left and right outer sides by a pair of vertical ribs 68 formed below the engaging projection 62 provided on the holder portion 48.

[0067] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, a pair of shaft plates 84A are provided at the rear end of the bottom cover 84, and the shaft portion 82 formed on the hinge body portion 74 of the slider 70 provided on the holder portion 48 engages with the pair of shaft plates 84A. In other words, the bottom cover 84 and the slider 70 are integrated, and when the slider 70 moves downward, the bottom cover 84 moves downward together with the slider 70.

[0068] Furthermore, the bottom cover 84 is rotatable around a hinge pin 82A provided on the shaft portion 82 of the hinge body portion 74. Therefore, when the bottom cover 84 is moved downward, it rotates around the hinge pin 82A, completely opening the opening 48A of the holder portion 48. When the bottom cover 84 rotates 180 degrees around the hinge pin 82A, it can be housed in the receiving recess 75 formed in the slider 70 (see Figure 17).

[0069] Here, as shown in Figure 1, when the armrest 20 is extended, a gap is provided in the vertical direction between the armrest 20 and the seat cushion 12. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 16, the dimensions of the gap and the bottom cover 84 are predetermined so that the bottom cover 84 does not interfere with the seat cushion 12 (see Figure 1) when the bottom cover 84 rotates.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9(B), a circular magnet (magnetic attachment member) 96 is provided in the center of the lower surface of the bottom cover 84. On the other hand, a circular magnet (magnetic attachment member) 98 is provided on the lower surface of the armrest 20, and the magnet 96 can be magnetically attached to the magnet 98, as shown in Figure 10(B).

[0071] In this way, with magnet 96 magnetically attached to magnet 98, the bottom cover 84 remains magnetically attached to the underside of the armrest 20. Note that in Figure 10(B), for the sake of explanation, only the bottom cover 84 on the left-hand holder section 48L of the cup holder section 24 is shown open and magnetically attached to the underside of the armrest 20, while the bottom cover 84 on the right-hand holder section 48R is shown closed.

[0072] <Function and Effects of Armrests> Next, the operation and effects of the armrest according to this embodiment will be described.

[0073] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the armrest 20 is composed of a holder portion 48 and a bottom cover 84 that constitute the cup holder portion 24. The holder portion 48 penetrates the armrest 20 in the vertical direction and into which a cup (not shown) can be inserted, and is tapered so that its diameter gradually decreases along the direction in which the cup is inserted. Therefore, even cups of different diameters can be held by the holder portion 48.

[0074] On the other hand, the bottom cover 84 is configured to be separate from the holder portion 48 of the cup holder portion 24, as shown in Figures 9(A), (B), and 10(A), (B). The bottom cover 84 is positioned on the lower side of the armrest 20 and is rotatably mounted relative to the armrest 20, opening or closing (opening and closing) the opening 48A formed at the lower end of the holder portion 48. When the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 is closed, it supports the cup inserted into the holder portion 48 from below.

[0075] Thus, in this embodiment, an opening 48A is formed at the lower end of the holder portion 48 of the cup holder portion 24, and the bottom cover 84 allows the opening 48A to be opened and closed. Therefore, as shown in Figures 9(A) and (B), when the opening 48A provided in the holder portion 48 is closed by the bottom cover 84, the cup inserted into the holder portion 48 is supported by the inner surface 48B of the holder portion 48 and the bottom cover 84. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 10(A) and (B), when the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 is open, the cup is supported by the inner surface 48B of the holder portion 48.

[0076] Generally, when a cup is large, the center of gravity is higher than when a cup is small, making it difficult to hold the cup stably. However, in this embodiment, by opening and closing the opening 48A of the holder portion 48, it becomes possible to stably hold the cup according to its size.

[0077] Here, we will describe this embodiment in detail. As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, an engaging projection 62 is formed on the cup holder portion 24. The slider 70 engages with this engaging projection 62, and via the engaging projection 62, the slider 70 is made movable along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion 24, as shown in Figures 7, 18(A), and (B). Figure 18(A) is a cross-sectional view when cut along line AA shown in Figure 7, and Figure 18(B) is a cross-sectional view when cut along line BB shown in Figure 7.

[0078] Then, as the slider 70 slides vertically relative to the cup holder portion 24, the bottom cover 84 provided on the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 moves vertically along the holder portion 48. This causes the opening 48A to open and close.

[0079] In this embodiment, when opening the bottom cover 84 from a state in which the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 is closed by the bottom cover 84, the bottom cover 84 is moved downward to the armrest 20 by the slider 70, as shown in Figures 7 and 18(B).

[0080] For example, as shown in Figure 19, when attempting to open the bottom cover 102 of the holder portion 100, if one tries to rotate it around the hinge portion 104 provided on the holder portion 100 side, the bottom cover 102 will interfere with the armrest body 106, making it impossible to open the bottom cover 102.

[0081] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 16, when the bottom cover 84 is opened, the slider 70 moves downward, moving the bottom cover 84 below the armrest body 22, thus making it possible to avoid interference between the bottom cover 84 and the armrest body 22.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 8(A), (B), and 18(B), a stopper 62C is provided on the engaging projection 62 formed on the cup holder portion 24, and the downward movement of the slider 70 is restricted via the stopper 62C. This makes it possible to prevent the bottom cover 84 from falling off.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, a shaft portion 82 is provided at the lower end of the slider 70. The axis of this shaft portion 82 is provided along the width direction of the armrest 20, and the bottom cover 84 is rotatably mounted around a hinge pin 82A provided on the shaft portion 82.

[0084] In this embodiment, the bottom cover 84 rotates around the hinge pin 82A, thereby opening and closing the opening 48A of the cup holder portion 24. Furthermore, the bottom cover 84 and the slider 70 are connected via the shaft portion 82, preventing the loss of the bottom cover 84.

[0085] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 13(A) and (B), a claw portion 60 is provided at the lower end of the cup holder portion 24, and as shown in Figures 14(A) and (B), a pair of elastic pieces 92 are provided on the bottom cover 84 that engage with the claw portion 60 when the opening 48A of the cup holder portion 24 is closed.

[0086] In this embodiment, when the opening 48A of the cup holder portion 24 is closed by the bottom cover 84, a pair of elastic pieces 92 provided on the bottom cover 84 engage with the claw portion 60 provided on the cup holder portion 24. Therefore, compared to the case where the opening 48A of the cup holder portion 24 is simply closed by the bottom cover 84, the holding force for holding the cup is improved.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the bottom cover 84 rotates around a hinge pin 82A that is aligned with the width direction of the armrest 20. As shown in Figure 10(B), with the opening 48A of the cup holder portion 24 open, the magnet 96 provided on the lower surface of the bottom cover 84 can be magnetically attached to the magnet 98 provided on the lower surface of the armrest 20.

[0088] As a result, in this embodiment, the bottom cover 84 can be temporarily fixed to the armrest 20. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the generation of abnormal noise caused by the armrest 20 and the bottom cover 84 interfering with each other due to vibration while the opening 48A is open.

[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the attachment is magnetic by magnets 96 and 98, the bottom cover 84 can be easily temporarily fixed to and released from the armrest 20. However, it is not limited to this, as long as it is possible to temporarily fix and release the bottom cover 84 from the armrest 20. For example, a magnet may be used for one of the armrest 20 and the bottom cover 84, and a metal that can be magnetically attached to the magnet may be used for the other. In addition, other magnetic attachment members may be used, not limited to magnets 96 and 98. Furthermore, in addition to magnetic attachment members, Velcro (registered trademark) or the like may be used.

[0090] Based on the above configuration, a series of operations in the cup holder section 24 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 15 to 18. Figures 15 to 17 are operation diagrams, with Figure 15 being a schematic cross-sectional view when cut along the CC line shown in Figure 9, and Figure 17 being a schematic cross-sectional view when cut along the DD line shown in Figure 10.

[0091] First, Figure 15 shows the bottom cover 84 closed on the holder portion 48 of the cup holder portion 24. In this state, the claw portion 60 of the engaging piece 58 provided at the lower end of the front center of the holder portion 48 is engaged with a pair of elastic pieces 92 provided on the bottom cover 84. Also, as shown in Figure 18(A), the slider 70 engaged with the engaging projection 62 of the holder portion 48 has a recess 80 of the engaging piece 78 formed on the slide body portion 72 that constitutes the upper part of the slider 70, which is engaged with the upper convex rib 62A of the engaging projection 62.

[0092] From this state, as shown in Figure 15, when the bottom cover 84 is pressed from above, the bottom cover 84 moves downward via the slider 70, as shown in Figure 18(B). The slider 70's downward movement is restricted when the recess 80 of the engaging piece 78 engages with the lower convex rib 62B of the engaging projection 62, and the lower end of the engaging piece 78 abuts against the stopper 62C.

[0093] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 16, the claw portion 60 of the engaging piece 58 provided on the holder portion 48 is released from its engagement with the pair of elastic pieces 92 provided on the bottom cover 84. In other words, the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 is opened.

[0094] In this state, the bottom cover 84 is positioned below the hinge body 74, which constitutes the lower part of the slider 70, with the lower end of the hinge body 74 substantially in contact with the upper surface of the bottom cover 84. If the bottom cover 84 is pressed further from this state, the bottom cover 84 rotates rearward around the hinge pin 82A provided on the hinge body 74 of the slider 70.

[0095] Since a magnet 96 is provided on the underside of the bottom cover 84, as shown in Figure 17, when the bottom cover 84 is rotated to the rear and the magnet 96 on the bottom cover 84 is magnetically attached to the magnet 98 provided on the underside of the armrest 20, the bottom cover 84 is fixed (temporarily fixed) to the underside of the armrest 20. At this time, the rear end of the bottom cover 84 is housed in the housing recess 75 formed in the slider 70. In this state, the bottom cover 84 (opening 48A of the holder portion 48) is completely open.

[0096] On the other hand, when closing the bottom cover 84, rotating the bottom cover 84 forward around the hinge pin 82A releases the magnetic attachment between the magnet 96 on the bottom cover 84 and the magnet 98 on the armrest 20.

[0097] Then, by rotating the bottom cover 84 downwards from the holder portion 48 and pressing the bottom cover 84 upwards, the slider 70 moves upwards, and as shown in Figure 18(A), the recess 80 of the engaging piece 78 engages with the upper convex rib 62A of the engaging projection 62. Also, as shown in Figure 15, the pair of elastic pieces 92 provided on the bottom cover 84 engage with the claw portion 60 of the holder portion 48. As a result, the opening 48A of the holder portion 48 is closed by the bottom cover 84.

[0098] (Supplementary information for this embodiment)

[0099] In the above embodiment, the bottom cover 84 is rotatably mounted on the armrest 20 around the hinge body 74, but the embodiment is not limited to this.

[0100] For example, a slide rail may be provided on the underside of the armrest 20, and after the bottom cover 84 moves downward, the bottom cover 84 may be slid along the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the bottom cover 84 is rotatable around an axis along the left-right direction, but it may also be rotatable around an axis along the up-down direction. In these cases, it is possible to accommodate even if the gap between the armrest 20 and the seat cushion 12 is narrow.

[0101] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an example in which the invention is applied to an armrest 20 located approximately in the center of the seat width direction of the rear seat, as shown in Figure 1, it is not limited to this. For example, it may be applied to the front seat. Moreover, it is not limited to the armrests of vehicle seats, but may also be applied to armrests of chairs, sofas, etc.

[0102] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from its spirit. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0103] 10 Vehicle seats 12 seat cushions 14 Seatback 20 Armrest 22 Armrest body 24 Cup holder section 48 Holder section 48A opening 60 Claw part (engaging part) 62 Engagement protrusion 62C Stopper 70 Slider 82A Hinge pin (hinge part) 84 Bottom lid 92 Elastic piece (engaged portion) 94 recess 96 Magnets (magnetic attachment components) 98 Magnet (Magnetic attachment component)

Claims

1. A cylindrical cup holder portion is provided on the armrest body, penetrates the armrest body vertically, into which a cup can be inserted, and is tapered so as to gradually decrease in diameter along the direction in which the cup is inserted. A bottom cover is provided which is separated from the cup holder portion and positioned on the lower side of the armrest body, and is slidable or rotatable relative to the armrest body, and which opens or closes the opening formed at the lower end of the cup holder portion, and supports the cup from below when the opening is closed, An armrest that includes the following components.

2. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein the cup holder portion is provided with a slider that is slidable along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion and moves the bottom lid along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion.

3. The armrest according to claim 2, wherein the cup holder portion has an engaging projection that engages with the slider and moves the slider along the vertical direction of the cup holder portion.

4. The armrest according to claim 3, wherein the engaging projection is provided with a stopper that restricts the downward movement of the slider.

5. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein an engaging portion is provided at the lower end of the cup holder portion, and the bottom cover is provided with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion when the opening is closed.

6. The armrest according to claim 2, wherein the lower end of the slider is provided with a hinge portion having an axis along the width direction of the armrest body, and the bottom cover is rotatably mounted around the hinge portion.

7. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein the bottom cover is set to be temporarily fixed to the lower surface of the armrest body when the opening is open.

8. The armrest according to claim 7, wherein a magnetic attachment member is provided on either the lower surface of the bottom cover or the lower surface of the armrest body, and a member to be magnetically attached to the magnetic attachment member is provided on the other of the two.

9. The seat cushion on which the vehicle's occupants sit, A seatback that supports the back of the aforementioned occupant, An armrest according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the armrest body is attached to the seat back, A vehicle seat equipped with this feature.

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