Pivoting Rear Seat Armrest With Heated and Cooled Cup Holder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional armrests with cooling and heating functions for vehicles are not optimally designed for use as rear seat armrests, lacking effective mounting and efficiency in providing cooling and heating systems.
Innovation Solution
An armrest design incorporating a rotating shaft, intake and exhaust ports, an internal duct, and thermoelements with a heat exchange system, allowing the armrest to function as both a seatback and an armrest with enhanced cooling and heating performance, while maintaining comfort and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional cooling and heating box with thermoelements is used, then cooling and heating efficiency is enhanced, but the device cannot be optimized for use as an armrest of a rear seat
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest unit is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a functional armrest with cup holder cooling/heating capabilities and a seatback component when retracted. The rotating shaft mechanism enables the armrest body to be positioned in different configurations, allowing it to function as an armrest when extended and as part of the seatback when retracted into the rear seat.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest incorporates a rotating shaft that enables dynamic repositioning of the armrest body. This dynamic mechanism allows the armrest to rotate between an extended position (functioning as an armrest) and a retracted position (functioning as a seatback), providing adaptability while maintaining structural integrity and ease of installation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the armrest is designed with cooling and heating functions, then marketability is enhanced, but the armrest may cause noise and vibrations when functioning as a seatback
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful factors of noise and vibrations are isolated by extracting the active cooling and heating components (thermoelements and blower) to operate only when the armrest is in the extended position. When retracted as a seatback, these components are deactivated, eliminating noise and vibration generation during seatback function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between armrest and seatback modes using the rotating shaft mechanism. The control system activates cooling and heating functions only when the armrest is detected to be in the extended position, and deactivates them when retracted, thereby preventing noise and vibrations during seatback operation while maintaining dual functionality.
3Productivity
If the intake port is exposed on the front end of the armrest, then air intake for cooling and heating is improved, but the intake port is exposed to the outside when retracted into the seat
Solution Approach 1:
The intake port's exposure status dynamically changes with the armrest position. When the armrest is extended, the intake port is exposed and functional for air intake. When the armrest is retracted into the seat, the intake port becomes covered and non-functional, preventing exposure issues while maintaining air intake efficiency during armrest operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed so that the armrest must be in the extended position for the intake port to be exposed and functional. This preliminary positioning requirement ensures that air intake only occurs when the armrest is properly positioned, preventing unintended exposure when retracted while maintaining efficient air intake during operation.
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 design ensures reliable cooling and heating functions, enhances marketability, and provides comfort and safety by allowing the armrest to function as a seatback during retraction, ensuring efficient climate control and reducing noise and vibrations.
Implementation Method 1
thermoelements that use electrical energy to provide two kinds of functions including cooling and heating functions
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchange line extending from the rear end of the armrest body toward the front end of the armrest body along both sides of the internal duct in a state of being spaced apart from the internal duct
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an armrest that includes a rotating shaft, an intake port, an exhaust port, an internal duct and a cup holder. The rotating shaft is disposed in the rear end of the armrest body and configured to pivotally connect the armrest body to a seat so that the armrest body may alternate between a retracted position in which the armrest functions as a seatback and an unfolded position in which the armrest functions as an armrest. The intake port, exhaust port, and internal duct are configured to provide heating and cooling of the cup holder.