Abstract:
An auto-adjustable armrest mechanism for reclining seats is disclosed. The armrest mechanism causes the armrests to follow a more natural movement of an occupant&#39;s arms when adjusting the seatback to different angles. The armrest mechanism utilizes a cam that rotates in response to movement of the seatback relative to the seat base. A rod connected to the rotatable armrest is in communication with and, in turn, responsive to the rotation of the cam for defining an auto-adjustable angle between the seatback and the armrest.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    None 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a seating system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an auto-adjustable arm rest mechanism for reclining seats. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Arm rests for vehicle seats such as commonly used in recreational vehicles are typically pivotally connected to the seat frame and are shiftable between a generally horizontal position and generally vertical position. This pivotal connection of the arm rest to the seat frame permits the arm to be raised for passenger entrance or exit. A drawback of prior art arm rests is that as the position of the back rest reclines, the arm rests remain in a strictly perpendicular orientation with respect to the back rest which may result in discomfort to the user. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is directed at a tailored arm assembly adaptable to a seat, such as a bucket seat, that allows for self-leveling of the arm throughout movement of the seatback as it is reclined or released. The arm is also freely rotatable to a stowed position to allow easy ingress/egress of a user. The tailored arm assembly is fitable to various seat frame designs without adding separate seat frame SKUs. In an embodiment, the tailored arm assembly may be fitted to a wide range of existing seat pans, back frames, and hinges. It may be added as an optional feature to a product line during the frame assembly process or added to an existing product in the field. 
         [0007]    According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for attachment to a reclining seat having a seatback and a seat pan for changing an angle of an arm rest with respect to the seatback when the seatback pivots with respect to the seat pan. The apparatus may include a lever pivotally connected to a peg support member and a rod having a first end attached to the arm rest and a second end opposite the first end. The apparatus may further include a peg extending inward from an inner surface of a peg support member and through an elongated slot formed in a bracket. The apparatus may include a cam having an aperture for receiving the second end of the rod. The lever, the bracket, the cam, and the arm may each have respective apertures axially aligned. A fastener may extend through each respective aperture. The peg may engage a contact surface of the cam for changing the angle of the arm rest with respect to the seatback in response to pivotal movement of the seatback. 
         [0008]    According to another aspect of the invention, a reclining seat has a lever pivotally connected to a seat pan at a first end and to a peg support member at a second end. A bracket may be connected to the seatback and a rod having a first end may be attached to an arm rest. A peg may extend inward from an inner surface of the peg support member and through an elongated slot formed in the bracket. A cam may have an aperture for receiving the second end of the rod. In operation, the peg may engage a contact surface of the cam for changing the angle of the arm rest with respect to the seatback in response to pivotal movement of the seatback. 
         [0009]    According to another embodiment, a reclining seat comprises a lever assembly connected to a seat pan and a seatback. A peg may be supported by the lever assembly. An arm rest is pivotally connected to the seatback and in contact with the peg, wherein the arm rest is responsive to movement of a peg support to adjust the angle of the arm rest with respect to the seatback. The lever assembly may have the peg support member pivotally connected to a lever connected to the seat pan. The peg may be supported by the peg support member. The reclining seat may also include an anchor bracket attached to the seat pan, wherein an initial angle of the arm rest is adjustable through selective alignment of the lever with an elongated aperture in the anchor bracket. The arm rest may have a cam in contact with the peg. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIGS. 1A-1C  illustrate an example of movement of the arm rests of a reclining chair, in accord with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate an example of movement of an embodiment of a self-level attachment, corresponding to the movement of the arm rests illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment of a cam and arm rest of a self-level attachment; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of a self-level attachment secured to a reclining seat in accord with a disclosed embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of components of a self-level attachment of the present invention in an unassembled state; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of a self-level attachment in an assembled state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. In the drawings, elements denoted by the same reference numerals are substantially the same elements. 
         [0018]    The disclosed apparatus, referred to herein sometimes as a self-leveler attachment mechanism (self-level attachment), is attachable to a reclining seat for increasing the comfort of a user. Conventional reclining seats, such as driver and passenger seats for recreational vehicles, have a seat base, a seatback, and arm rests. The seatback is recline-able to varying degrees with respect to the seat base. The arm rests are secured to the reclining seat such that the arm rests either remain in a fixed position (e.g., horizontal) regardless of the angle of the seatback, or are attached to the seatback in a fixed position, such as a perpendicular to the seatback regardless of the angle of the seatback. The apparatus disclosed herein provides an improvement to conventional seats by automatically varying the angle of the arm rest with respect to the seatback in response to adjustments of the angle of the seatback with respect to the seat base. Further, the angle of the arm rest adjusts automatically (without help from a user) as the seatback is reclined/inclined. 
         [0019]      FIGS. 1A-1C  illustrate an example of movement of arm rests  102 ( a ),  102 ( b ) as a seatback  104  reclines, in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1A  illustrates the seatback  104  in an upright or perpendicular position with respect to the seat base  106 . In this position the self-level attachment (not shown) positions and maintains the arm rests  102 ( a ),  102 ( b ) at an approximate 90 degree angle with respect to the seatback  104 , and approximately horizontal.  FIG. 1B  illustrates the seatback  104  in a first reclined position, slightly greater than 90 degrees. In this position the self-level attachment positions and maintains the arm rests  102 ( a ),  102 ( b ) at an angle that is less than perpendicular to the seatback  104 , and non-horizontal.  FIG. 1C  illustrates the seatback  104  in a second reclined position, moderately greater than 90 degrees. In this position the self-level attachment positions and maintains the arm rests  102 ( a ),  102 ( b ) at an angle that is moderately less than perpendicular to the seatback, and further off the horizontal plane. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 1A-1C  illustrate arm rest positions that provide increased comfort to a user as compared to conventional reclining seats. It is noted that  FIGS. 1A-1C  illustrate three positions of a reclining seat. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not so limited. Rather, in accord with a disclosed embodiment the position of the arm rests  102 ( a ),  102 ( b ) may automatically set to any one or more of several or many angles in relation to the angle of recline. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate an embodiment of the self-level attachment  200  of the present invention. It is noted that the self-level attachment is not shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C , which merely illustrate arm rest functionality provided by the self-level attachment  200 . As discussed below in relation to  FIG. 4 , the self-level attachment  200  may be secured to the reclining seat by any securing means, such as screws, bolts, welds, pins, or any other type of securing means known in the art, etc. In an embodiment, the self-level attachment  200  may or may not include an arm  202 . In other words, in one version, the self-level attachment  200  may include an arm  202  to replace an original arm rest  102 ( a ),  102 ( b ) supplied with a reclining seat. In another version, the self level attachment  200  may be retrofitted to an existing arm rest. It will be appreciated that the self-level attachment  200  may be assembled as an original component in the assembly of a reclining seat, or may be retrofitted to an assembled reclining seat by a manufacturer or aftermarket installer and upholsterer. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate the self-level attachment  200  in three positions, corresponding respectively (in the present example) to the three positions of the seatback  104  illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C . In an embodiment, the self-level attachment  200  includes a lever  204  that is attachable to a seat base at one end  206 , and a bracket  208  that is attachable to a seatback. The lever  204  is pivotable with respect to the seatback about an axial contact point  210 . The bracket  208  has a slot  214  through which a peg  212  protrudes. As the seatback reclines, the bracket  208  moves rearward causing the peg  212  to shift upwards within the slot  214 . As the peg  212  shifts upwards, the angle of the arm  202  with respect to the bracket  208  shifts downward, providing the relative movement illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C . The arm angle corresponds to the rotational movement of a cam  216 . The cam  216  is connected to the arm  202  by way of a rod  218 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of a self-level attachment  400  secured to a reclining seat. As illustrated, a lower bracket  422  (sometimes referred to as an anchor bracket) is provided and secured to the seat base  402  by securing means  450 , such as a screw, bolt, weld, pin, or any other type of securing means known in the art, etc. The lower bracket may be provided as a stock part or may be customized to the configuration of the reclining seat according to manufacturer, make, and/or model. The lower bracket may include an access hole  452  for accessing recliner components obstructed by the lower bracket  422 . At the opposite end of the self-level attachment  400 , the bracket  410  may be secured to the seatback  404  by way of an attachment  454 . The attachment  454  is preferably welded to the seatback  404  and includes bolt holes for receiving a pair of bolts  456 ,  458  (or other securing means known in the art) for securing the bracket  410  thereto. The assembly is completed by securing the arm  406  to the cam  412  with a bolt  420  that passes through the rod  414 . As illustrated, the lever  408  is connected to both the lower bracket  422  and a peg support  416  (shown more clearly in  FIG. 5 ) by axial attachment members  418 ,  424  to provide relative rotational movement of the self-level attachment  400  when the seatback reclines. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate embodiments of components of a self-level attachment  400  in unassembled and assembled states, respectively. The disclosed components are provided as the presently preferred embodiments and the scope of the invention is not limited to the component configurations shown. Also, the invention is not limited to the number of components shown. A self-leveler attachment of the present invention may comprise more or less of the disclosed components in either their disclosed configuration or alternate configurations. The self level attachment of the present invention is defined by the claims of the present application. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the self-level attachment  400  may comprise a lower bracket  422  configured (customized or universal) for attachment to a reclining seat. The lower bracket  422  includes an elongated aperture  460  to which the lever  408  is secured by a bolt  430 , washer  432 , and nut  434  to (referred to as axial attachment member  424  in  FIG. 4 ). The elongated aperture  460  allows for adjustment of the initial angle of the arm  406 . If secured at or nearer the upper end of the elongated aperture  460 , the initial angle of the arm  406  will rest the user&#39;s hand at a lower relative position. If secured at or nearer the lower end of the elongated aperture  460 , the initial angle of the arm  406  will rest the user&#39;s hand at a relatively higher position. 
         [0026]    The lever  408 , having an inner facing surface  476 , is secured to the peg support  416  by an axial member  418  that allows relative rotational movement between the lever  408  and the peg support  416 . As illustrated, the peg support  416  has an inner facing surface  478  and a peg  470  extending inward. As explained above, the position of the peg  470  within a slot  472  controls the angle of the arm  406  by engaging a first contact surface  468  of the cam  412 . The cam  412  may be generally parabolically disk shaped and include a first contact surface  468  that may be a groove, catch, or a ledge formed on an outer surface thereof, as examples. The arm  406  is in a fixed rotational position with respect to the orientation of the cam  412  by way of engagement with a flattened surface  474  of the rod  414 . 
         [0027]    A bolt  420  axially aligns and connects the peg support  416 , the bracket  410 , the cam  412 , and the arm  406 . While the arm  406  is in a fixed position in relation to the cam  412 , washers  426 ( a ),  426 ( b ), and  426 ( c ) permit rotational axial displacement along the axis defined by the bolt  420 . A retaining ring  426 ( d ) engages a groove in cam  412  to secure the components positioned along the center line illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Bolt  420  is secured to internally threaded cam  412  (illustrated as  428  in  FIG. 6 ). A second peg  462  (sometimes referred to as a stop peg) may be secured to the bracket  410  to limit the upward range of the arm  406  by engaging a second contact surface  464 , opposite first contact surface  468  of cam  412 . 
         [0028]    The self-level seat attachment disclosed herein may be assembled to a variety of seats, such as a bucket seat. The attachment allows for self-leveling of the chair arm when in the down or user position and as the seatback is reclined or vice versa. The arm may be rotated up to a stowed position to permit proper ingress/egress of a user into/from the seating position. The attachment may be fitted to an existing seat base (also referred to as a “seat pan”), back frame, hinge, and recliner mechanism and may be added to the seat as an optional feature during the frame assembly process. The attachment may also be added to an existing product in the field without requiring significant changes to the existing poly foam components. 
         [0029]    In the foregoing description, all or some of the components are preferably machined or otherwise formed of metal, plastic, a polymer, or other material, metal or otherwise. 
         [0030]    It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be understood as an illustration of selected forms that the invention can take and not as a definition of the invention. It is only the following claims, including all equivalents, that are intended to define the scope of this invention.