Rotating Vehicle Door Armrest for Sliding Door Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with sliding compartment doors, securing space for a door armrest on the rear door side is difficult due to the need for a swing gap, leading to reduced armrest space and compromised usability.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door armrest structure that rotates in response to the opening and closing of hinged compartment doors, using a housing magnet and motor-driven mechanisms to maintain or release magnetic fixation, allowing the armrest to rotate out of the way when the door is opened.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the armrest length is reduced to avoid interference with luggage trim when door opens, then the door opening interference is improved, but the armrest space and usability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reducing armrest length statically, the invention implements dynamic rotation capability allowing the armrest to maintain full length when needed (door closed) and rotate out of the way when door opens, preserving both armrest usability and eliminating door opening interference
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest orientation parameter changes from horizontal to vertical based on door opening state, allowing the same physical structure to serve different spatial requirements without modification to its fundamental dimensions or design
2Ease of operation
If a motor-driven rotation mechanism is added to rotate the armrest, then the armrest space and usability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation mechanism is designed to activate automatically based on door opening detection, eliminating the need for manual operation or complex control systems. The system serves itself by using the door opening event as the trigger for armrest rotation, reducing control complexity while maintaining functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex multi-component mechanical rotation mechanisms with a simplified magnetic actuation system using magnets and magnetic attraction/repulsion forces, reducing mechanical complexity while achieving the desired rotation function
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
Secures door armrest space by rotating the armrest vertically when the door is opened, improving usability and eliminating interference, while reducing costs and enhancing layout flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
a housing magnet operating to fix or release the housing portion to or from the door trim by generating or releasing a magnetic force
Implementation Method 2
a motor housed in the housing portion and driven when a door opening signal is generated to rotate the housing portion
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle door armrest apparatus is a door armrest provided on a luggage trim connected to a rear side of a door trim of a door of a vehicle, the vehicle door armrest apparatus including a housing portion on which an arm of a passenger is placed and which is provided on an internal side of the luggage trim and configured to rotate along an internal surface of the door trim, and a housing magnet operating to fix or release the housing portion to or from the door trim by generating or releasing a magnetic force depending on whether power is applied to the housing magnet with the door trim located between the housing magnet and a door magnet.