Vehicle Seat Armrest Tilting Mechanism for Control Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing armrest designs for vehicle seats often require jerky and poorly defined sliding and folding movements to pivot from a use position to a non-use position, which can result in the chair panel being covered, making other controls inaccessible.
Innovation Solution
An armrest with a bearing block that allows defined tilting and pivoting movements, featuring a shaft parallel to the armrest leg, a locking head with a tongue and groove mechanism, and an elastic spring to secure the armrest in the use position, enabling intuitive movement from the use to non-use position without covering controls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the armrest is moved to a non-use position by lifting and folding, then the armrest can be stored away, but it covers the chair panel and makes other controls inaccessible
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest is designed to pivot horizontally about a shaft axis that runs parallel to the armrest leg, changing the movement from vertical lifting to horizontal rotation. This dimensional change allows the armrest to fold parallel to the chair panel surface rather than perpendicular to it, preventing coverage of controls while maintaining ease of operation
2Adaptability or versatility
If the armrest uses conventional sliding and folding mechanisms, then it can move between positions, but the movement is jerky and poorly defined
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing block is designed to tilt about an axis perpendicular to the shaft, enabling a defined two-stage movement sequence: first tilting the bearing block to release the locking head from the groove, then rotating about the shaft. This dynamic mechanism provides smooth, well-defined transitions between locked and unlocked states, eliminating jerky movements while maintaining full positioning versatility
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
The solution provides a smooth and intuitive pivoting mechanism that keeps controls accessible by allowing the armrest to fold down without jerky transitions and prevents unintentional movement, ensuring the armrest remains usable and out of the way when not in use.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic spring, so that the bearing leg including the armrest leg can be tilted from the use position into the intermediate position only by overcoming the force of the elastic spring
Implementation Method 2
the pivoting movement from the use position to the non-use position takes place down and is supported by gravity
Data Source
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AI summary
The armrest has a supporting limb with an end to which an armrest limb is attached. A fastening limb (8) fastens the armrest to a seat. A shaft (3) is fastened at a free end of the supporting limb. The supporting limb including the armrest limb is rotatable between a non-usage position and an intermediate position. The shaft is pivoted at a bearing block (10) that is tiltably mounted at the fastening limb around an axis perpendicular to the shaft, so that the supporting limb including the armrest limb is tiltable between the intermediate position and a usage position.