JP5500640B2 - Armrest - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a simple armrest that requires a relatively small force to receive a downward load.

  The armrest must be capable of receiving a downward load from the arm, and is preferably capable of adjusting the height during use. There are a latch type by a clasp and a spring lock type in which a coil spring is wound around a shaft. Among them, a spring lock type is widely adopted because of its relatively simple structure. However, in the conventional spring lock type, the load resistance is set to about 50 kgf, so the diameter of the shaft around which the coil spring is wound increases, and the length of the shaft also increases to ensure a sufficient number of turns. I was dissatisfied with the size and price.

  The following Patent Document 1 describes a spring-locked armrest. However, if it has the load capacity described above, the height is adjusted downward or when it is rotated downward from the stowed rear upper storage position along the seat back. Must release the locking force. For this reason, the release mechanism is operated when this operation is performed with a release mechanism.However, the structure is complicated, the number of parts increases, the weight increases, the number of assembly steps increases, and the cost increases. Was. Furthermore, when the release mechanism is provided, the operation is naturally necessary, and the passenger feels complicated.

JP 2006-192132 A

  The present invention is an armrest that is mounted on a relatively small vehicle and has a simplified structure that can withstand a load of about 20 Kgf. As a result, it has an advantage in terms of weight, size, price, and operability. It was made.

  Under the above-described problems, the present invention provides a fixed shaft that protrudes from the side surface of the seat back and a substantially horizontal adjustment range lower limit position and an obliquely rear upper portion that are rotatably fitted to the fixed shaft. And an arm that is locked in a downward rotation between the adjustment range lower limit position and the adjustment range upper limit position that is raised by a predetermined angle from the adjustment range lower limit position, and is housed in the arm. An armrest that has a sensitive end that is bent radially outward at one end and is wound around a fixed shaft and has a coiled spring whose inner diameter is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fixed shaft. A load receiving piece that acts to rotate the sensitive end in the direction of tightening the coil spring and a return piece that rotates in the direction to loosen when rotating upward are provided on the arm, and the load receiving piece comes into contact when the arm reaches the upper limit position of the adjustment range. You The return piece is provided at a position where the arm comes into contact with the arm when the arm is at an angle obtained by subtracting the angle from the adjustment range lower limit position to the adjustment range upper limit position from the angle from the adjustment range lower limit position to the storage position. The armrest characterized by this is provided.

  Further, according to the present invention, in the armrest described above, means for restricting rotation exceeding the arm storage position and the adjustment range lower limit position described in claim 2 by a stopper, and the arm fixed in claim 3 are fixed. The means supported by both ends in two longitudinal directions of the shaft, and a gap between the outer periphery of the fixed shaft and a part of the other end of the coil spring according to claim 4, and an end of the coil spring in the arm A means for accommodating the holder A for fixing the holder A and the holder B for fixing the other end, and making the holder A and the holder B connectable by changing the phase is provided. In this, the means described in claim 5 in which the bracket is integrated with the arm and the holder A and the holder B are accommodated in the bracket, and the fixing shaft according to claim 6 has a reduced diameter or a coil spring. A means for increasing the winding inner diameter is provided. Further, the means according to claim 7 is provided with a sliding resistance that overcomes at least the weight of the arm between the arm and the fixed shaft, and the arm according to claim 8 has a U-shaped cross section. And a means in which the entire circumference of the edge is curled inward, and means in which the arm is a resin molded product.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the necessary members are sufficient because the fixed shaft, the arm on which the load receiving piece is formed, and the coil spring wound around the fixed shaft are sufficient. Accordingly, it is possible to ensure superiority in terms of weight, size, price, and operability. According to the means of claim 2, the arm does not rotate more than necessary. In particular, the restriction of downward rotation exceeding the adjustment range lower limit position also serves as a safety member when a large load is applied. According to the third aspect of the invention, the rotation of the arm is smooth and high strength is exhibited against the load in the left-right direction of the seat applied to the arm.

  According to the means of claims 4 and 5, since the tightening force (locking force) of the coil spring for tightening the fixed shaft can be adjusted, it is possible to absorb the variation in the locking force due to the manufacturing error of the winding inner diameter of the coil spring. Further, even if both ends of the coil spring are fixed to the arm in order to adjust the locking force, a normal spring lock type function can be exhibited and the longitudinal extension of the coil spring can be allowed. According to the sixth aspect, it is possible to easily form the gap. According to the seventh aspect, even when the arm is stopped halfway, it does not fall by its own weight, and the operational feeling is improved. According to the means of the eighth aspect, the arm section modulus increases, the strength increases, and a thin one can be used, which contributes to weight reduction. According to the means of claim 9, both cost and weight are excellent.

It is a perspective view of an arm. It is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the base end part of an arm. It is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the other example of the base end part of an arm. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is a perspective view of the bracket integrated in an arm. It is explanatory drawing explaining rotation of an arm. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the other example of an arm. It is a perspective view of the example which reinforces the base end part of an arm. It is a perspective view of the example which reinforces the base end part of an arm.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It is well known that an arm has an elongated shape and rotates around an axis attached to a seat back. Sometimes, with the arm as a reference, the center of rotation is the base end, the tip is the tip, the inside is the seat back side, and the downward rotation means that the tip is rotated downward. 1 is a perspective view of an arm, and FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a base end portion of the arm. A seat bracket 1 is fixed to a side surface of a frame (not shown) of a seat back, and a bush is attached thereto. A bolt 3 fitted with 2 is screwed. Therefore, the bush 2 is fixed to and integrated with the bolt 3 and is hereinafter referred to as a fixed shaft 4. The fixed shaft 4 may be one in which the bush 2 and the bolt 3 are integrated.

  The arm 5 is loosely fitted to the fixed shaft 4 in a rotatable manner. At this time, the arm 5 is sandwiched and pressed by a web washer 6 interposed between the side surface of the fixed shaft 4 and the seat bracket 1. Thus, a corresponding sliding resistance is applied to the rotation of the arm 5. The arm 5 of this example is a molded product of a steel plate having a U-shaped cross section, and the edge of the U shape is formed on the curl 5a on the inner side over the entire circumference in order to increase the section modulus and increase the strength. In addition, although the U-shaped opening side is outward, the cover 7 for urethane foam is assembled | attached to the periphery of the base end part. The hole 7a of the cover 7 is for attachment to the seat bracket 1, but urethane is injected and foamed in the form of FIG. 1 and wrapped with foam, and then attached to the seat back 1 by the fixed shaft 4, and thereafter Then, it is capped from above the skin covering the foam.

  A coil spring 8 is wound around the outer periphery of the fixed shaft 4, and one end on the outer side of the coil spring 8 is a sensitive end 8 a that is bent outward and protrudes in the radial direction. Further, the winding inner diameter of the coil spring 8 is slightly smaller (0.5 to 4%) than the outer diameter of the fixed shaft 4. The winding direction of the coil spring 8 is set to be tightened when the arm 5 rotates downward to push down the sensitive end 8a, and loosened when the arm 5 rotates upward to push up the sensitive end 8a. Further, the arm 5 is provided with a load receiving piece 9 and a return piece 10 that come into contact with or separate from the sensitive end 8a according to the rotation angle and the rotation direction thereof.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the movement of the load receiving piece 9 and the return piece 10 at each rotation angle of the arm 5. C) Rotates in a rotation range extending from (c) to (c) and the storage positions (b) and (e) at the upper rear side. In this case, the arm 5 supports the load of the arm by being locked in a predetermined range within the adjustment range extending from the lower limit position and the adjustment range upper limit position (hereinafter referred to as the upper limit position) raised by a predetermined angle from the lower limit position. The position where the arm 5 receives the load can be adjusted within the adjustment range, and this adjusted position is referred to as a set position. In the following description, in order to facilitate understanding, the set position is 0 ° with respect to the horizontal direction as the lower limit position, the storage position is 110 °, and the upper limit position is 30 °. Therefore, the rotation range is 110 ° and the adjustment range is 30 °. In addition, a code | symbol is described only to (a) and it abbreviate | omits after.

  The position of the load receiving piece 9 provided on the arm 5 is a position where the tip in the downward rotation direction comes into contact with the sensitive end 8a when the arm 5 rotates 80 ° downward from the 110 ° storage position and reaches the upper limit position of 30 °. Set to. In other words, the upper limit position of the adjustment range is set. On the other hand, the position where the return piece 10 is provided is when the arm 5 comes to an angle of 80 ° obtained by subtracting the angle of 110 ° from the lower limit position to the storage position and the angle of 30 ° from the lower limit position to the upper limit position. Set to the abutting position. That is, it is also a position obtained by subtracting the angle of the adjustment range from the angle of the rotation range.

  Now, when the arm 5 rotates downward from the storage position (A) to the upper limit position (B), the load receiving piece 9 comes into contact with the sensitive end 8a, and then a predetermined lock is applied to receive the arm load. This receiving load is because the coil spring 8 rotates in a direction in which the fixed shaft 4 is tightened, and this is called a lock load. In this example, since the set position is set to the lower limit position, the load receiving piece 9 must slip by applying a force to overcome the lock load in the range of 30 ° from the contact of the sensitive end 8a at the upper limit position to the lower limit position. Don't be. However, in the present invention, since the lock load is set to about 20 kgf, this operation is not so difficult. If the set position is above the lower limit position, the slip may be reduced accordingly.

  Next, when trying to return from the lower limit position (C ') to the storage position (I), the arm 5 is rotated upward, but the arm 5 subtracts the angle of the upper limit position (B) from the angle of the storage position (A). When it comes to the position, that is, the position of 80 °, the return piece 10 comes into contact with the sensitive end 8a (d). Thereafter, until the storage position (A), the coil spring 8 rotates in the direction of loosening the fixed shaft 4, and a relatively light force is sufficient. Here, this load is referred to as an unlock load. On the other hand, while the load receiving piece 9 and the return piece 10 do not contact the sensitive end 8a, the load receiving piece 9 and the return piece 10 rotate with a very light force, which is referred to as a free load. By the way, if this free load is lighter than the own weight of the arm 5, the arm 5 cannot be fastened on the way and the feeling of operation is not good. Therefore, it is necessary to give the arm 5 a sliding resistance that overcomes at least its own weight, but this is achieved by the clamping pressure between the side surface of the fixed shaft 4 and the web washer 6 described above.

  In addition, stoppers 11 and 12 are provided so that the arm 5 does not rotate beyond the upper limit position and the lower limit position. In particular, the lower stopper 11 becomes a safety member when the coil spring 8 slips, and has an important meaning. The movement of the arm 5 as described above is such that when the set position is set to the horizontal position, even if the arm is lifted by 40 to 50 ° when the seat belt or the like is mounted, it does not rotate downward or upward unless it exceeds 80 °. Even if it repeats, return piece 10 does not contact sensitive end 8a. Therefore, it can always return to the set position with a free load. In the above description, the setting position is the lower limit position, but this position can be freely adjusted within the adjustment range. In this case, when the set position is raised from the lower limit position, the load receiving piece 9 comes into contact with the sensitive end 8a earlier and the return piece 10 comes into contact with a delay. The lower limit position, the storage position, and the rotation range and adjustment range associated therewith are not limited to those described above.

  3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a base end portion of an arm showing another embodiment, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. Although it is a perspective view of a bracket, in this example, a bracket 13 integrated with the arm 5 is provided inside the arm 5, and one end and the other end of the coil spring 8 are accommodated in the bracket 13. It is held in. In this case, the other end of the coil spring 8 is also bent outward and protrudes in the radial direction to form a free end 8b, which is also formed on the side surface of the holder A14 and the holder B15 facing each other with the sensitive end 8a at one end. It is inserted into the groove and integrated. The load receiving piece 9 and the return piece 10 are provided on the bracket 13.

  In this example, the holder A14 and the holder B15 can be coupled with changing the phase. Specifically, a part of both is projected to the opposite side and polymerized, and a serration fitting 16 in which an involute, a spline, or the like is formed is formed in this superposed portion. This is to change the phase of the sensitive end 8a and the free end 8b of the coil spring 8. By changing the meshing of the serration fitting 16, the locking force can be adjusted by changing the tightening force of the fixed shaft 4 by the coil spring 8. Because. That is, when changing to the tightening direction, the lock load and unlock load increase, and when changing to the loosening direction, both weaken. In general, it is very difficult to ensure the accuracy of the winding inner diameter of the coil spring, and this can be complemented by this.

  Further, a gap 17 is provided on the free end 8b side of the coil spring 8 and a part of the outer periphery of the fixed shaft 4 (bush 2). In this example, the gap 17 has a range of about 40% of the number of turns of the coil spring and an amount of about 10% of the winding inner diameter. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In short, the coil spring 8 has a sufficient number of turns to fasten the fixed shaft 4, and when the phase of the sensitive end 8 a and the free end 8 b is changed to the tightening side, the coiled inner diameter of the coil spring 8 is reduced. As long as it is not hindered by. Further, as a method for forming the gap 17, in this example, the small diameter portion 2a is formed in the bush 2 in this portion, but instead of or in combination with this, the winding inner diameter of the coil spring 8 may be increased. According to this, there is an advantage that the strength of the fixed shaft 4 is not lowered.

  This gap 17 is effective when the engagement of the serration fitting 16 is changed and the coil spring 8 is tightened. That is, when the coil spring 8 is to be tightened further, the winding inner diameter is freely reduced at the gap 17 portion. Accordingly, the tightening force is further reduced by trying to further reduce the winding inner diameter at a portion other than the gap 17. Up. It should be noted that the phase of the holder A14 and the holder B15 is adjusted before the bracket 5 is assembled.

  Further, the gap 17 plays an important role when the return piece 13 contacts the sensitive end 8a and rotates the coil spring 8 in the loosening direction. That is, since the holder A14 and the holder B15 are integrated by the serration fitting 16, the free end 8b starts rotating the coil spring 8 at the same time as the return piece 10 comes into contact with the sensitive end 8a and starts to loosen the coil spring 8. Rotates in the tightening direction. However, due to the gap 17, the coiled inner diameter of the coil spring 8 is freely reduced in this portion and the tightening force is spoiled. As in the above example, the arm 5 rotates lightly with a load that is almost the same as the unlock load. can do.

  Further, the gap 17 contributes to applying a free load to the arm 5 (bracket 13). That is, the free length of the coil spring 8 is made longer than the length between the inner surfaces of the holder A14 and the holder B15 and is compressed and accommodated in both the holders 14 and 15. In this case, the coil spring 8 fastens the fixed shaft 4, but freely extends in the longitudinal direction at the gap 17 portion and presses the holder B 15 against the bracket 13. Therefore, a stable free load can be obtained by applying the elastic force in the longitudinal direction of the coil spring 8 instead of the sliding resistance by the web washer 6 described above. Further, if the uneven surface or the rough surface 18 is formed on the sliding surface between the holder B14 and the bracket 13, the sliding resistance can be increased more stably.

  As described above, the basic idea of the present invention is to further push the sensitive end 8a of the coil spring 8 wound around the fixed shaft 4 (bush 2) to the tightening side when the load receiving piece 9 is tightened. . Therefore, the root of the sensitive end 8a that bends outward from the circumferential portion of the coil spring 8 receives a concentrated load, and the load resistance of about 20 kgf that the tip of the arm 5 bears is increased by this principle at the root of the sensitive end 8a. Will receive a load of several hundred kgf. Specifically, if the ratio of the position of the base of the sensitive end 8a (the radius of the bush 2) and the length of the arm 5 is 1:20, it becomes 400 kgf. For this reason, the base of the sensitive end 8a may be bent or broken, and some reinforcement may be required.

  FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the coil spring 8 showing an example of the reinforcement, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view. That is, the holder C19 is formed with an upright portion (bar) 19a inside the arm 5 on the sensitive end 8a side, and the upright portion 19a is fitted to the bush 2 (the outer diameter of the upright portion 19a and the outer diameter of the bush 2 are The coil spring 8 is wound around the bush 2 from the upright portion 19a. Further, a groove 19b or the like is formed in the holder C19, and the sensitive end 8a is fitted into the groove 19b so that the sensitive end 8a and the holder C19 are integrated. By adopting such a configuration, the portion of the coil spring 8 with the number of turns n functions normally to fasten the bush 2, but the remaining portion with the number of turns m fastens the upright portion 19a, but with the upright portion 19a. No load will be received.

  This ratio is determined by the turn ratio n: m. If n: m is 1: 1, no load is applied to the portion of the turn m, particularly the root of the sensitive end 8a. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, when n: m is 4: 2, the load received is halved. Note that the boundary between the number of turns n and the number of turns m receives a strong load. However, since this part is a part where the coil spring 8 circulates around the bush 2, the wire body itself extends only to extend the load. Sufficiently resistant to increase. By doing so, the degree of freedom of the wire diameter of the coil spring 8 is increased and a thinner one is sufficient, and the length of the coil spring 8 can be shortened or the number of turns can be increased. Specifically, assuming that the same specification is used, if n: m is 4: 2, a wire with a wire diameter of 3.2 mm can be made 1.6 mm.

  FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view when the arm 5 is made of a resin blow-molded product. According to this, the cost and weight required for molding are excellent, and recycling is easy. The molding may be performed by injection molding. In this case, the inner surface body 5A and the outer surface body 5B are combined, but the inner surface body 5A and the outer surface body 5B may be combined by forming protrusions and holes and fitting them together.

  By the way, the above bracket 13 may be made of metal or resin. In either case, the load receiving piece 9 and the return piece 10 can be integrally formed. Further, the bracket 13 may be eliminated and the holder A14 and the holder B may be directly accommodated in the arm 5. In this case, the arm 5 performs a function required for the bracket 13.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Seat bracket 2 Bush 2a Bush (fixed shaft) small diameter portion 3 Bolt 4 Fixed shaft 5 Arm 5a Arm curl 5A Resin arm outer surface 5B Resin arm inner surface 6 Web washer 7 Cover 7a Cover hole 8 Coil spring 8a Sensitive end of coil spring 8b Free end of coil spring 9 Load receiving piece 10 Returning piece 11 Stopper 12 Stopper 13 Bracket 14 Holder A
15 Holder B
16 Serration coupling 17 Crevice 18 Uneven surface or rough surface 19 Holder C
19a Standing part of ridge 19b Groove of ridge

Claims (9)

  A fixed shaft that protrudes from the side surface of the seat back, is rotatably fitted to the fixed shaft, rotates between a substantially horizontal adjustment range lower limit position and an oblique rear upper storage position, and an adjustment range lower limit position. There is an arm that is locked in the downward rotation between the adjustment range lower limit position and the adjustment range upper limit position that is raised by a predetermined angle, and a sensitive end that is housed in the arm and bent radially outward at one end. An armrest comprising a coil spring wound around a fixed shaft and having a winding inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fixed shaft; a load receiving piece that acts on the sensitive end when the arm is rotated downward and rotates the sensitive end in a direction to tighten the coil spring; The arm is provided with a return piece that rotates in the direction of loosening when rotating upward, and the load receiving piece is provided at a position where the arm comes into contact when the arm reaches the upper limit of the adjustment range. Armrest, characterized in that provided at a position where it comes into contact with when it came to angle reduced angular position from the angle of to the retracted position from the lower limit position to the control range upper limit position than the adjustment range lower limit position.   The armrest according to claim 1, wherein rotation exceeding the arm storage position and the adjustment range lower limit position is restricted by a stopper.   The armrest according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the arm is supported by two ends in two longitudinal directions of the fixed shaft.   A gap is provided between the outer periphery of the fixed shaft and a part of the other end of the coil spring, and a holder A for fixing one end of the coil spring and a holder B for fixing the other end are accommodated in the arm. The armrest according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein coupling is possible by changing the phase.   The armrest according to claim 4, wherein a bracket is integrated with the arm and the holder A and the holder B are accommodated in the bracket.   The armrest according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the fixed shaft has a small diameter or a coil spring has a large winding inner diameter.   The armrest according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a sliding resistance that overcomes at least the weight of the arm is provided between the arm and the fixed shaft.   The armrest according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the arm is a molded product of a steel plate having a U-shaped cross section, and the entire periphery of the edge is curled inward.   The armrest according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the arm is a resin molded product.