Sliding Vehicle Door Armrest for Swing Gap Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with hinged cabin room doors, the space occupied by conventional door armrests interferes with the door's swing gap, reducing the armrest length and deteriorating usability due to limited space for occupant arm support.
Innovation Solution
An active door armrest structure with a motor driving portion that includes a linear motor guide, rack gear, and pinion gear, allowing the armrest to slide longitudinally within the vehicle body, expanding when the door is closed and contracting when opened, thus avoiding interference and maintaining armrest space without additional apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional door armrest is provided in a door trim of a vehicle with hinged cabin room doors, then the armrest can support the occupant's arm, but the armrest space interferes with the door's swing gap, reducing the armrest length and deteriorating usability
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest is designed to be movable rather than fixed, capable of sliding longitudinally along the door trim. The motor driving portion actuates the armrest to extend when the door is closed to maximize arm support length, and retract when the door opens to clear the swing gap, thus resolving the contradiction between armrest length and door operation clearance
2Length of moving object
If the armrest space is reduced to avoid interference with door opening, then the door swing gap is maintained, but the space for occupant arm support is insufficient, deteriorating usability
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest dynamically adjusts its position based on door state - extended for arm support when door is closed, retracted to clear swing path when door opens
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest is actuated to retract before the door opens, clearing the swing gap in advance, and extends after door closure to provide optimal arm support, thus resolving the spatial conflict
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 active door armrest secures occupant arm support space, reduces interference during door operation, and enhances usability by allowing manual sliding in case of power loss, while eliminating the need for separate apparatus, thereby reducing costs and improving layout flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
a motor driving portion mounted below the armrest portion, and configured to drive the armrest portion to selectively slide according to an opening or closing signal of the door
Implementation Method 2
a pinion gear connected to a driveshaft of the motor, protruding upwards from the lower rail bracket, and configured to rotate in engagement with the rack gear, to selectively slide the linear motor guide and the rack gear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body
Data Source
AI summary
A door armrest of a vehicle is provided in a door trim that forms a door for opening and closing a door opening formed in a vehicle body, and the door armrest may include an armrest portion on which an occupant's arm is supported and which may be provided on an internal side of the door trim and slides in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and a motor driving portion mounted below the armrest portion, and configured to drive the armrest portion to selectively slide according to an opening or closing signal of the door.