Armrest
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing armrest designs for vehicle seats face difficulties in easily transitioning between stowage and use positions, often requiring complex mechanisms and risking jamming or occupant injury during movement.
Innovation Solution
The armrest incorporates a motor-driven actuator with a spring mechanism and guide elements that allow axial and rotational movement, preventing jamming and enabling safe transition between positions without complex sensors, and includes a damper for controlled pivoting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the armrest uses a complex mechanism to enable movement between stowage and use positions, then the movement capability is improved, but the device complexity increases and the risk of jamming or injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movement mechanism is divided into two independent guide elements: a first guide element that guides axial movement and a second guide element that guides rotational movement. This segmentation allows each guide element to perform a specific function with a simple structure, avoiding the need for a complex integrated mechanism while enabling complete movement between stowage and use positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The mount serves as an intermediary component that connects the armrest to the seat and incorporates both guide elements. This intermediary structure facilitates the transformation of movement types (axial and rotational) without requiring complex direct coupling between the armrest and seat, simplifying the overall mechanism.
2Reliability
If the armrest uses a complex mechanism with sensors for safe movement, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide elements are designed to inherently prevent unsafe movements through their geometric constraints. The first guide element's axial guide and the second guide element's rotational guide work together to ensure the armrest can only move along a safe trajectory, eliminating the need for external sensors or control systems to monitor and prevent dangerous positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide elements are designed with built-in safety features that prevent jamming and injury before they can occur. The axial and rotational guides constrain the movement path to avoid positions where occupants could be pinched or trapped, providing inherent protection without requiring additional safety systems.
3Ease of operation
If the armrest design occupies space to the side of the seat in stowage position, then the use position functionality is improved, but the space efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest utilizes both axial movement (along the pivot axis) and rotational movement (about the pivot axis) to achieve compact stowage. By combining movements in two different dimensions, the armrest can be positioned inside the seat structure in the stowage position rather than extending to the side, achieving space-efficient storage while maintaining full functionality in the use position.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates easy and safe movement between stowage and use positions, reducing the risk of injury and jamming, while being space-efficient and allowing for further components within the armrest structure.
Implementation Method 1
The armrest incorporates a motor-driven actuator with a spring mechanism and guide elements that allow axial and rotational movement
Implementation Method 2
and includes a damper for controlled pivoting
Data Source
AI summary
Armrest (10) comprising a base (19) and an arm (13) that can be moved by a mount (17) between at least one use position and a non-use position, wherein the arm (13) is movable by the mount (17) axially of a pivot axis (a) between a proximal and a distal position, and is pivotable about the pivot axis (a) between a primary and a secondary position, wherein the armrest (10) has an actuator (30) comprising a motor drive having a drive part (29) that is movable between a first and a second position in order to displace the arm (13) in a first direction (y1) between the non-use position and the use position, at least in part, wherein the actuator (30) has at least one spring (21) that can be tensioned upon movement of the drive part (29) or an additional drive part (29) of the actuator (30), wherein the arm (13) can be moved axially, in a second direction (y2) by the spring (21), which second direction is directed opposite the first direction (y1).