Abstract:
The invention relates to an adjuster mechanism for setting the height of an armrest on a motor vehicle door, comprising a drive unit and an adjuster gear arranged after the drive unit, which, on activating the drive unit, performs an adjusting movement for setting the height of the armrest. According to the invention, the adjuster gear ( 40, 202, 204 ), for setting the height of the armrest ( 2 ), executes a tilting movement of the armrest ( 2 ).

Description:
DESCRIPTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to an adjuster mechanism for setting the height of an armrest on a motor vehicle door according to the preamble of patent claim  1 .  
           [0002]    An adjuster mechanism of this kind comprises a drive as well as an adjusting gear which is assigned to the drive so that when the drive is activated it triggers an adjusting movement in order to set the height of the armrest which is mounted on the vehicle door. The height of the armrest (position of the armrest along the vertical vehicle axis) can hereby be adapted to the requirements of the different vehicle occupants.  
           [0003]    From DE 40 02 242 A1 a vertically adjustable armrest on the door of a motor vehicle is known which in order to adjust the height can be moved along two guide rails which are mounted in the vehicle door and extend in the adjusting direction of the armrest.  
           [0004]    The object of the invention is to provide a new adjuster mechanism for adjusting the height of an armrest on a motor vehicle door which is characterised by a simple construction.  
           [0005]    This is achieved according to the invention through the provision of an adjuster mechanism which has the features of patent claim  1 .  
           [0006]    According to this the adjusting gear of the adjuster mechanism is designed for adjusting the height of the armrest by swivelling the armrest about a swivel axis.  
           [0007]    In accordance with the solution proposed according to the invention in order to adjust the height of the armrest the armrest is thus not simply moved along the vertical vehicle axis but rather is swivelled about a swivel axis (running perpendicular to the vertical vehicle axis). The solution according to the invention is characterised by the small amount of space required as well as its simple construction. Thus the guide rails which are normally used to guide a vertically adjustable armrest can be omitted if the height of the armrest is set not by sliding along the vertical vehicle axis but by a swivel movement.  
           [0008]    The swivel movement is preferably carried out about a swivel axis running parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (x-axis).  
           [0009]    Adjusting the height an armrest by swivelling same leads to the position of the supporting surface of the armrest, i.e. the position of that surface on which the arm of the vehicle occupant can be comfortably rested, changing its position in a direction across the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and across the vertical vehicle axis. The armrest is therefore to be designed so that in any swivel region of the armrest serving as the useful region in each swivel position of the armrest there is a section of same which is suitable for supporting an arm of a vehicle occupant. By useful region of the swivel region of the armrest is thereby meant a swivel area whose individual swivel positions of the armrest serve each time for setting an armrest position where a vehicle occupant can lean by his underarm on the actual armrest.  
           [0010]    In order to enable the height of the armrest to be adjusted by swivel movement, the armrest or at least its supporting section which serves to support the arm is formed eccentric relative to the swivel axis.  
           [0011]    With a view to providing a supporting surface during each adjustment to the height of the armrest through the swivel action the armrest is preferably convex in shape, more particularly so that the surface of the armrest forming the supporting surface forms in cross-sectional view a section of a spiral.  
           [0012]    In order to generate the swivel movement the armrest can be provided with a gearing element which is coupled to the drive of the adjuster mechanism of the armrest. This gearing element can be formed for example by a toothed segment which interacts with a gearwheel on the drive side, e.g. a pinion. On the other side the swivel axis of the armrest can be connected rotationally secured to an adjusting lever which in turn is coupled to a drive lever on the drive side.  
           [0013]    Since the armrest in the installed state normally protrudes from the inside door trim of the vehicle door towards the interior of the vehicle there is the problem that when the armrest is swivelled in order to adjust its height it could collide with the inside door trim. In order to overcome this the armrest and/or the inside door trim can be provided with a movable and/or elastic section which prevents any collision between the armrest and inside door trim which would otherwise obstruct the swivel action of the armrest. Thus for example a section of the inside door trim can be formed as a folding section (by means of a film hinge) so that it can escape out of the way of the armrest when a section of the armrest projects into the inside door trim as it swivels round. As an alternative the corresponding section of the inside door trim can also be formed displaceable and the displacement can be controlled through a slide guide.  
           [0014]    Finally the associated sections of the armrest on the one hand and of the door inside trim on the other can be formed elastic so that they give way as the section of the armrest projects into the inside door trim so as not to obstruct the swivel movement of the armrest. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Further features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings in which:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 a  shows a section through an inside door trim of a vehicle door having an armrest which is vertically adjustable through swivel movement;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 b  shows a perspective view of the armrest of FIG. 1 a;    
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 a  shows a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1 a  in which a section of the inside door trim adjoining the armrest can be folded inwards;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 b  shows the arrangement of FIG. 1 a  where the height of the armrest has been changed;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 shows a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1 a  in which the inside door trim is formed elastically deformable in the region of the armrest;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 shows a modification of FIG. 1 a  in which the inside door trim has a displaceable section in the region of the armrest. 
     
    
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 a  shows a cross-section through an inside door trim  9  which is fixable on an inside door panel  5  of a motor vehicle door. The inside door trim  9  serves to cover the inside door panel  5  in respect of the interior of the vehicle and furthermore has function elements such as e.g. a card pocket and an armrest  2  (arm support) which protrudes from the inside trim towards the interior of the vehicle. The armrest  2  is vertically adjustable in order to ensure an ergonomic support of the underarm of the relevant occupant on the armrest  2 , adapted to the requirements of each individual vehicle occupant.  
         [0023]    Adjusting the height of the armrest  2  (adjusting the supporting face of the armrest  2  along the vertical vehicle axis z) is carried out by swivelling the armrest  2  about a swivel axis  202  which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (perpendicular to the leaf plane). In order to generate the swivel movement an electrical or manual drive  4  is provided which drives a gearwheel  40  which interacts with a toothed section  204  provided on the armrest  2 . This toothed section  204  projects through an opening in the inside door trim  9  into the region between the inside door panel  5  and the inside door trim  9  where the drive  4  which is fixed on the inside door panel  5  is mounted.  
         [0024]    The region of the inside door skin accommodating the drive  4  need not be formed directly by an inside door panel  5  but can alternatively also be formed by a base plate (module support) which is to be fitted onto the inside door panel and on which the different components of a vehicle door, such as for example the adjusting mechanism of a vertically adjustable armrest or window lifter, can be prefilted outside of the vehicle door.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b  show accordingly an armrest  2  whose height adjustment is carried out by swivelling about an axis  202  which points substantially in the drive direction x. To this end the outer supporting contour of the armrest—starting from the swivel axis  202 —has an eccentric preferably spiral-shaped contour. The swivel axis  202  lies in the region of the plane of the inside door trim  9 .  
         [0026]    In the contour shown solid according to FIG. 1 a  the armrest  2  is located in the fold-down position which allows good access and insight into the stowage compartment. The dash-lined contour shows a lower to middle height of the armrest  2   a  where the arm is supported in the region of arrow A. An upper position of the armrest  2   b  is shown by the dotted-line contour with a preferred supporting face in the region of the arrow B. It can be seen that when the armrest  2  is adjusted upwards (by swivelling the armrest  2  about its swivel axis  202 ) the surface area of the armrest serving each time as the supporting surface on one side is moved upwards with a component along the vertical vehicle axis z and on the other side moves with a component of movement along a direction y pointing towards the inside I of the vehicle.  
         [0027]    In the event that the adjustment to the armrest is carried out manually e.g. by a step switch mechanism then according to FIG. 1 b  a grab handle  20 ′ of the vehicle door can serve as the drive element. For this purpose the grab handle  20 ′ should be mounted capable of swivelling about the same axis  202  or an axis running parallel thereto and lockable in its neutral position. Swivelling the handle  20 ′ upwards triggers a swivel movement of the armrest  2 ′ in the same direction which results in the supporting surface being raised. The supporting surface of the armrest is lowered back down in an analogous manner.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 a  shows a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1 a  as regards the configuration of the inside door trim  9  in a region above the armrest  2 .  
         [0029]    On the one hand it can be seen from FIG. 2 a  that the inside door trim  9  has three layers above the armrest  2 , namely a support  95  made of plastics, a foam layer  96  mounted facing the inside of the vehicle as well as a textile covering  97  which covers the inside door trim  9  facing the inside I of the vehicle. Obviously the inside door trim  9  which is shown only diagrammatically in FIG. 1 a  can be formed in a corresponding manner above the armrest  2 . The region of the inside door trim  9  underneath the armrest  2  which generally has a so-called card pocket, see FIG. 1 a,  is normally of a simpler design since in this area there are less demands on the design. Also here a multi-layered construction of the inside door trim is readily possible.  
         [0030]    According to FIG. 2 a  the region of the inside door trim  9  above the armrest  2  has a wedged recess  94  in the support  95  which forms a film hinge so that the section of the inside door trim located between the film hinge  94  and the armrest  2  can be folded towards the outside space A of the vehicle by applying external forces about the axis defined by the film hinge.  
         [0031]    This makes it possible on the one hand for the inside door trim  9  to be brought from above directly down to the armrest  2  in order to avoid visible gaps impairing the design, and on the other hand for the door inside trim  9  not to impede the swivel action of the armrest  2  but rather—as shown in FIG. 2 b —to give way during swivelling of the armrest  2  through the folding movement K. During swivel movement of the armrest  2  which according to FIG. 2 b  corresponds to adjusting the height of the armrest  2  along the vertical vehicle axis z, as a result of the folding movement K of the section of the inside door trim  9  mounted underneath the film hinge a collision is prevented between the inside door trim  2  and armrest  9 , which would oppose further swivelling of the armrest  2 .  
         [0032]    As regards the region of the inside door trim  9  extending underneath the armrest  2  such a folding configuration is mainly not necessary since the area  203  of the armrest  2  adjoining here need not be designed from the ergonomic point of view and therefore can be designed so that collision with the inside door trim  9  during swivel movement of the armrest  2  is prevented. The said section  203  of the armrest  2  is formed for this purpose as a circular section whereby the centre of the circle is formed by the swivel axis  202  of the armrest  2 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 shows a variation of the arrangement of FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b  which enables the inside door trim  9  to give way as the armrest  2  swivels. To this end the section of the inside door trim  9  adjacent the armrest  2  at the top is formed as an elastic element in the form of a rubber strip  98  which has a fixing area  98   a  for fixing on the inside door trim  9  as well as a design area  98   b  which forms a part of the inside door trim  9  and extends up to the armrest  2 .  
         [0034]    The fixing area  98   a  extends on the side of the inside door trim  9  facing away from the inside I of the vehicle and is connected there to the support  95  of the inside door trim  9  by a welded rivet  99 . The design area  98   b  of the rubber strip  98  is designed elastically deformable and for design reasons is provided with a covering  98   c.  As the armrest  2  swivels in order that it is adjusted upwards along the vertical vehicle axis z the design section  98   b  of the rubber strip  98  is forced in a direction away from the inside I of the vehicle so that swivel movement of the armrest  2  is not impeded.  
         [0035]    As an alternative the corresponding section of the arm rest ( 2 ) could also be formed elastically deformable.  
         [0036]    With the embodiment according to FIG. 4 the section of the inside door trim  9  which adjoins the armrest  2  at the top is designed as a fascia  93  which can be moved along the vertical vehicle axis z and which during swivel movement of the armrest  2  is displaceable along the vertical vehicle axis z so that collision with the armrest  2  is avoided. The movement of the fascia  93  can be matched with the swivel movement of the armrest  2  through suitable coupling elements, e.g. through controlling the fascia  93  by sliding guide discs.  
         [0037]    As the armrest  2  is swivelled the fascia  93  is each time displaced so that the swivel movement of the armrest  2  is not prevented, but on the other hand as far as possible no visible gaps appear between the inside door trim  9  and the armrest  2 .