Abstract:
An armrest assembly for a seat having stowed and deployed positions, said armrest assembly including a member having a track, and an armrest having a proximal end and a distal end, the armrest coupled to the track at the distal end and slidable along the track from the stowed position to the deployed position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an armrest for a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to an armrest that is integral to a seatback and slidable from a stowed position to a use position and visa-versa. 
     Vehicle armrests have been fabricated in a variety of forms to accommodate various seat structures and configurations present in modem automobiles, such as rear bench seats. Present conventional armrests mounted in the rear seat of an automobile deploy from the stowed position to the use position by rotating about a fixed pivot in the seat structure. The stowed position is typically a generally vertical position with the armrest fitted into the seat back to form a flush seatback surface and the use position is typically a generally horizontal position at approximately the elbow height for a user. In operation, a conventional rotatable armrest will be rotated by the user from the stowed position to the use position. 
     One disadvantage with conventional rotatable armrests is that they are generally difficult to install and mechanically intricate, as they require numerous fittings to be attached to the seat back frame. In this regard, rotatable armrests require that a pivot point be installed in the frame of the seat and that both the top and bottom surfaces be trimmed with cover material. These additional fittings and trim material cause the installation of a rotatable armrest to be highly complex. 
     Furthermore, present rotatable armrests are not ergonomically friendly, as they require the user to first move his or her arm and then to rotate the armrest from its generally vertical stowed position to its generally horizontal use position. This action is time consuming and may also be difficult or awkward for less dexterous individuals to execute. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ergonomically deployed armrest assembly that is easily installed into a standard vehicle seat which does not suffer from the above mentioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, an armrest assembly is provided with modular packaging and a slidable deployment mechanism. The armrest assembly includes a support frame that mounts in simple fashion to a seat frame using tabs and conventional fasteners. An armrest is slidably coupled at one end to slots in the support frame and is pivotably coupled on its bottom surface to a load-bearing lever that is also pivotably coupled to the support frame. 
     The armrest deploys from a generally vertical stowed position in the armrest assembly to a generally horizontal use position in a sliding/pivoting ergonomic fashion. In operation, a seated user will generate downward and/or forward forces on the armrest to deploy the armrest, using an elbow or other portion of the arm, or alternatively by pulling the armrest with a hand. One end of the armrest slidably couples to the slots in the support frame, allowing the armrest to slide and pivot downward along the fixed path provided by the slots. The lever, as it pivots and deploys to a load-bearing position, will force the armrest to gradually pivot from a vertical position to a horizontal use position. The lever is pivotably coupled at the bottom end of the support frame and is parallel to and hidden under the armrest in the stowed position. The lever will pivot about its pivot coupling on the support frame and extend outward, thus generating a force on its pivot coupling point on the bottom surface of the armrest. Accordingly, the downward and/or forward forces exerted by the user will place the lever in a load-bearing position for the armrest in the use position. 
     The deployment method of the armrest assembly of the present invention is simple and ergonomic, as the user&#39;s arm is on the top or use surface of the armrest at all times during its deployment. The user does not have to lift an arm to pivot the armrest, as in conventional assemblies, rather the user need only push or pull downward and/or forward on the armrest. 
     Furthermore, the modular packaging of the present invention allows the armrest assembly to be easily inserted into the cutout of a seat cushion. Tabs on the top of the support frame of the armrest assembly slip into coupling apertures on a seat frame and the bottom of the support frame is coupled to a seat frame with conventional fasteners. This simple tab and fastener coupling method is superior to the multi-part installation of conventional rotating armrests. The amount of trim material for the armrest of the present invention is also reduced, as compared to a conventional rotatable armrest, since only one surface is exposed to a user in both the stowed and deployed positions. The reduction of trim material simplifies the armrest of the present invention and reduces its overall thickness. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The various advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the following specification and by reference to the drawings, in which: 
     FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b  are perspective views of a seat incorporating the armrest assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side diagrammatic view of the armrest assembly shown in FIG. 1 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the deployment of the armrest assembly; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the armrest assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a portion of the armrest assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in a stowed position; 
     FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a portion of the armrest assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in a stowed position; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the armrest assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in a deployed position; and 
     FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the armrest assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in a deployed position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following description of the present invention is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its uses. Moreover, the following description, while depicting an armrest assembly designed to operate with vehicles seats, is intended to adequately teach one skilled in the art to make and use the armrest assembly of the present invention with any type of seat system to which it may be adapted. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b , the armrest assembly  10  is shown installed in a seat assembly  12 . An armrest  14 , having a proximal end and a distal end, in FIG. 1 a  is shown in its stored or stowed, generally vertical position  18  with a top side or use surface  16  of the armrest  14  flush with the seating surface  17  of the seat assembly  12  or seatback  19 . In FIG. 1 b , the armrest  14  is shown in its horizontal use or deployed position  20  with the proximal end of the armrest extending from the seat assembly  12  and the distal end coupled to the seat assembly  12 . The seat assembly  12  may be any common seat assembly  12  configured for a vehicle, but in the preferred embodiments is a rear seat for a vehicle. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the dynamics and multiple positions of the armrest  14  during deployment from the armrest assembly  10  of the present invention. As can be seen from the multiple positions of the armrest  14 , the armrest  14  slides and pivots from the stowed position  18  to the deployed or use position  20 . The armrest  14  gradually transitions from the stowed position  18  to the use position  20 , eliminating any radical movements of a user&#39;s arm. The user merely exerts downward or forward pressure using an arm or hand on the armrest  14  to deploy the armrest  14  into the use position  20 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3-7, the armrest assembly  10  comprises various components that cooperate to allow the armrest assembly  10  of the present invention to be installed in a seat assembly  12  and allow the armrest  14  to be deployed from the armrest assembly  10 . The armrest assembly  10  comprises a support and installation frame  22  having a reinforcement structure  24  and a panel  26 . The reinforcement structure  24  and the panel  26  are preferably integrally molded to form the installation frame  22 . The reinforcement structure  24  is preferably steel and the panel  26  is preferably polymeric, but any similar materials with sufficient strength and rigidity are considered within the scope of the present invention. The reinforcement structure  24  includes tracks or slots  36  which will be discussed in conjunction with the operation of the armrest assembly  10 . The installation frame  22  is the primary mounting apparatus of the armrest assembly  10  and is mounted to a seat frame (not shown) using tabs  28  that are inserted into apertures (not shown) in the seat frame and mechanical fasteners  30  which couple to the reinforcement structure  24  and panel,  26  via apertures  32  and  34  and fastening holes (not shown) in the seat frame. The mechanical fasteners  30  in the preferred embodiment are threaded bolts or screws. The use of simple tabs and mechanical fasteners in the mounting of the armrest assembly  10  to a seat frame makes the armrest assembly  10  simple to mount and reduces the number of components, as compared to convention rotatable armrests. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3-5, the armrest  14  includes a support frame  38  having shoulder rivets or pegs  40  located on a first end of the support frame  38 . A link or lever  42  is further pivotably coupled to the underside of the support frame  38  with pins  39  and pivotably coupled to the panel  26  with pins  41 . Accordingly, the lever  42  is pivotable at both its ends. Springs  44  are further coupled to slots or tabs  45  on the underside of the support frame  38  and the panel  26 , as shown clearly in FIG.  4 . The support frame  38  is coupled to a wire insert  46  located in a trim foam assembly  48 . The support frame  38 , the lever  42 , and the wire insert  46  are comprised of any metal, polymeric material, or composite that may be used for load-bearing applications. The wire insert  46 , the trim foam assembly  48 , and the support frame  38  in conjunction form the armrest  14 . The trim and foam assembly  48  is preferably injection molded and formed around the wire insert  46 . The trim cover  52 , as seen in FIGS. 3 and 7, preferably covers only the use surfaces (particularly the top surface  16 ) exposed to a user during the operation of the armrest  14 . This eliminates the need to trim the bottom of the armrest  14 , reducing manufacturing time and the amount of trim needed to form the armrest  14 . The wire insert  46  is coupled to the support frame  38  by a mechanical fastener  54  such as a threaded bolt or nut to provide structural rigidity for the armrest  14 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2,  6  and  7 , in operation, the armrest  14  will slide and pivot from the stowed generally vertical position  18  to the generally horizontal use position  20 . The pegs  40  located on the support frame  38  are slidably coupled to move along the length/height of the slots  36  located in the reinforcement structure  24 . This sliding motion will cause the lever  42 , which is pivotably coupled to both the underside of the armrest  14  and the panel  26 , to pivot from a position generally parallel and beneath the armrest  14  to a load-bearing position, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. The lever  42  will contact a flange  60  on the panel  26  where the flange  60  will support the lever  42  in its load-bearing position. 
     The springs  44 , as seen in FIGS. 4,  6 , and  7 , will hold and bias the armrest  14  in both the stowed position  18  and the deployed position  20 . It is possible to use the springs  44  in this manner since the springs  44  flip across the pivot arc center point when the armrest  14  is moved from the stowed  18  position to the deployed  20  position or visa-versa. 
     It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described above, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.