JP7358779B2 - armrest - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an armrest installed on a vehicle seat.

2. Description of the Related Art Human-powered wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs that can be propelled by the user's operation have been proposed as a means of transportation for people with walking difficulties, such as elderly people and physically disabled people. For example, Patent Document 1 shown below discloses a wheelchair equipped with a protection member such as an air bag from the viewpoint of user protection. The wheelchair described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with an inclination detection means that detects the inclination of the wheelchair body when the wheelchair body inclines due to derailment due to a step or collision with an obstacle while traveling. When the tilt of the wheelchair body is detected, the airbag is activated and inflated, providing protection for the user.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-344419

However, in Patent Document 1, once the airbag is activated, it cannot be reused. Furthermore, there is a risk that the configuration in which the airbag is attached may impair the comfort of the user, and there is room for improvement.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an armrest that can stably maintain the posture of a passenger without using an air bag, in a driving situation where the vehicle is tilted. The purpose is to provide.

An armrest according to one aspect of the present invention is an armrest that is supported by a seat back and is movable between a position where a passenger can place his or her arm and a storage position in an electric vehicle that has an inclination sensor that detects the inclination of a vehicle body. When the horizontal inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the armrest extends forward from the seat back and is a position where the passenger can place his or her arms. A portion of the armrest moves upwards so that passengers with their arms resting on the armrests can hang their arms to prevent lateral movement, allowing passengers to hang their arms and maintain their posture. A base part that supports the body weight and extends forward, and a rotary part that can rotate upward about the base end of the base part as a fulcrum, and the tilt sensor detects that the tilt of the vehicle body exceeds a predetermined threshold. In this case, the rotating part rotates so that a tip thereof protrudes from the upper surface of the base part, and the rotating part has a protruding part that extends along the base part and can protrude from the tip of the rotating part. Furthermore, when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a tip of the protruding portion protrudes from a tip of the rotating portion.
Further, an armrest according to another aspect of the present invention is an armrest for an electric vehicle having an inclination sensor that detects the inclination of a vehicle body, and when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold; At least a portion of the armrest moves upward and includes a base portion extending forward and a rotating portion rotatable upward about the base end of the base portion as a fulcrum, so that the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor When a predetermined threshold is exceeded, the rotating part rotates so that the tip thereof protrudes from the upper surface of the base part, and the rotating part extends along the base part, and the rotating part rotates so that the tip thereof protrudes from the upper surface of the base part. The vehicle further includes a protrusion that can protrude from the rotating part, and when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the protrusion has a tip that protrudes from the tip of the rotating part. .
Further, an armrest according to another aspect of the present invention is an armrest for an electric vehicle having an inclination sensor that detects the inclination of a vehicle body, and when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold; At least a part of the armrest moves upward, and the part of the armrest that moves upward moves from below to above with respect to the upper surface of the armrest, protrudes from the upper surface of the armrest, and extends forward; a rotating part that can rotate upward about the base end of the base part as a fulcrum, and when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the rotating part has a tip that is connected to the base part. The rotating part rotates so as to protrude from the upper surface, and the rotating part further includes a protruding part that extends along the base part and can protrude from the tip of the rotating part, so that the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor is When a predetermined threshold value is exceeded, the tip of the protruding portion protrudes from the tip of the rotating portion.

According to the present invention, in a driving situation where the vehicle is tilted, the posture of the passenger can be stably maintained with a simple configuration without using an airbag.

FIG. 1 is a left side view of the electric vehicle according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view of the first half of the electric vehicle according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seat according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the armrest according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the armrest according to the present embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, a senior car for elderly people will be described as an example of an electric vehicle to which the present invention is applied, but the subject matter is not limited to this and can be changed. For example, the present invention may be applied to other types of electric vehicles, such as electric wheelchairs for people with physical disabilities. Furthermore, the present invention is applicable not only to electric vehicles but also to human-powered wheelchairs. Furthermore, regarding the direction, a passenger seated facing the forward direction is used as a reference, the traveling direction of the vehicle is the front-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is the left-right direction or the vehicle width direction. In the figure, the front of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow FR, the rear of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow RE, the upper part of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow UP, the lower part of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow LO, the left side of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow L, and the right side of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow R. That is, the direction indicated by arrow FR is the forward direction of the vehicle.

An electric vehicle according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a left side view of the electric vehicle according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view of the first half of the electric vehicle according to the present embodiment, with some parts removed for convenience of explanation. Note that the electric vehicle is not limited to the configuration shown below, and can be modified as appropriate.

First, a schematic configuration of electric vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the electric vehicle 1 is comprised of a senior car that runs on a sidewalk. The passengers of the electric vehicle 1 are often elderly, and are treated as pedestrians under the law. Specifically, the electric vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 2 having an exterior cover attached to a vehicle body frame 20.

The vehicle body frame 20 constitutes the entire skeleton and extends in the front-rear direction. A pair of left and right front wheels 3 are arranged on the front side of the vehicle body 2. A pair of left and right rear wheels 4 are arranged on the rear side of the vehicle body 2. Furthermore, a handle unit 5 is arranged above the front wheels 3 to enable steering of the vehicle. The front wheel 3 is supported by a suspension 31 via an axle (not shown). Similarly, the rear wheel 4 is supported by a suspension 41 via an axle (not shown).

The exterior cover includes a front cover 21 disposed on the front side of the vehicle body, a rear cover 22 disposed on the rear side of the vehicle body, and a floor mat 23 on which a passenger rests his or her feet. The front cover 21 is formed to cover above the pair of left and right front wheels 3. The front cover 21 functions as a mudguard for the front wheels 3. The rear cover 22 is formed to cover above the pair of left and right rear wheels 4. Similarly to the front cover 21, the rear cover 22 also functions as a mudguard for the rear wheels 4. The floor mat 23 is formed so as to cover a portion of the vehicle body frame 20 extending back and forth. The floor mat 23 is arranged between the rear cover 22 and the front cover 21.

The front wheel 3 and the handle unit 5 are connected by a steering shaft (not shown). The steering shaft extends vertically and is inclined rearward so that the upper end is located slightly rearward. The periphery of the steering shaft is covered by a leg shield 24. The leg shield 24 constitutes a part of the exterior cover, and is provided so as to rise upward at the front of the vehicle body. The leg shield 24 extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, and has a function as a windshield that protects the leg area of a passenger seated on a seat 7, which will be described later, from being directly hit by the wind.

A handle bracket 50 for attaching the handle unit 5 is provided at the upper end of the steering shaft. The handle unit 5 is configured to be rotated by a passenger seated on a seat 7. Specifically, the handle unit 5 includes a handlebar 51 that is held by the rider, and a switch box (not shown) in which various operation switches are arranged. Note that although the switch box is attached to the handle bracket 50, illustration thereof is omitted for convenience of explanation.

As shown in FIG. 2, the handlebar 51 includes a straight portion 52 that extends in the left-right direction and serves as an attachment portion to the handlebar bracket 50, and an extension portion that extends rearward from the outer end of the straight portion 52 along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. 55, and a grip part 53 that extends inward from the rear end of the extension part 55 along the left-right direction of the vehicle body and is gripped by the passenger. That is, the handlebar 51 has a pair of bent U-shapes in plan view that open at the center side in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. The straight portion 52 is fixed to the handle bracket 50 which is on the front side of the vehicle body relative to the upper end of the steering shaft. Rearview mirrors 54 are attached to both sides of the straight portion 52 so that the passenger can check the rear view. The switch box is attached to the handle bracket 50 at the center of the handlebar 51.

A front basket 6 is provided in front of the leg shield 24 to store the passenger's luggage. The front basket 6 is arranged above the front cover 21 and in front of the leg shield 24. An upper plate 60 is attached to the top of the front basket 6. The upper plate 60 covers a portion (the rear half) of the upper opening of the front basket 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, a seat 7 for a passenger is arranged above the rear portion of the vehicle body 2. As shown in FIG. The seat 7 includes a seat cushion 70 on which a passenger sits, a seat back 71 forming a backrest for the passenger, and a pair of left and right armrests 72. The seat back 71 is arranged above the rear end of the seat cushion 70, and extends vertically with a slight rearward inclination with respect to the vertical direction of the vehicle body. The seat back 71 is attached to a seat frame (not shown). The armrests 72 are provided on both sides of the seat back 71 so as to extend further forward than the seat back 71. The armrest 72 is attached to a support member of the seat back 71 so as to be rotatable about an axis along the left-right direction of the vehicle body. Thereby, the armrest 72 can be rotated to a position where it does not get in the way when the user gets in the vehicle, that is, to a retracted position along the seat back 71. That is, the armrest 72 is pivotally supported so that it can rotate between a use position where the passenger's arms are placed and a storage position. The armrest 72 is arranged below the handlebar 51 in the vertical direction of the vehicle body. Further, the armrest 72 is disposed on the outer side of the vehicle body than the grip portion 53 of the handlebar 51 in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. Note that details of the armrest 72 will be described later.

A drive motor for driving the rear wheels 4 and a battery (both not shown) are arranged below the seat 7. The drive motor drives the rear wheels 4 via a differential device (not shown). The drive motor is driven by battery power. The drive motor and battery are covered by a rear cover 22.

Further, the electric vehicle 1 includes a control device 8 (see FIG. 5) that centrally controls the operation of the entire vehicle including various components within the vehicle. The control device 8 is comprised of a processor, memory, etc. that executes various processes. The memory is composed of storage media such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory) depending on the purpose. The memory stores control programs and the like that control the various configurations described above.

Furthermore, the electric vehicle 1 is equipped with a tilt sensor 80 (see FIG. 5) as tilt detection means for detecting the tilt of the vehicle body. The tilt sensor 80 is composed of an existing sensor such as a gyro sensor. Inclination sensor 80 outputs an electric signal according to the inclination of electric vehicle 1 to control device 8 .

By the way, as mentioned above, in electric vehicles such as senior cars, because the occupants are elderly people, the vehicle body may tilt to the left or right more than the occupant expected due to the occupant's carelessness or driving error. . Such cases include, for example, one of the left and right wheels running over the top of the vehicle, and turning on a slope.

When the vehicle body tilts left or right, electric vehicles such as senior cars that do not have doors or seat belts do not have a structure that actively supports the occupant's body against the left and right tilt. Therefore, passengers are required to support their bodies by themselves. However, as described above, the passengers of electric vehicles are often elderly people with weakened muscle strength or reflexes, and it is difficult for them to instantaneously support their bodies when the vehicle body slopes suddenly.

Note that, as existing structures capable of supporting the body of a passenger, for example, electric vehicles are provided with handlebars, armrests, and the like. The handlebar is something that is held by the rider in a normal posture with his/her hands extended forward. Further, the armrest is arranged at a relatively low position corresponding to the position of the passenger's waist, and allows the passenger to rest his or her arms on the upper part of the armrest. The seat, handlebars, and armrests are placed in relatively generous positions to allow comfortable use by people of various body types. During normal driving, the rider can support his or her body using the handlebars and armrests.

However, depending on the occupant, it may be difficult for the occupant to support his or her upper body using the existing handlebars or armrests in situations where the vehicle body suddenly tilts to the left or right. For example, in existing electric vehicles, the pair of left and right armrests are placed at a relatively low position and are spaced apart, rather than in close contact with the passenger's body, in order to eliminate the cramped feeling of the passenger and enable a comfortable posture. It is being Further, the armrest has a flat upper surface with no irregularities so that the passenger can place his/her arms in a free position. In other words, the armrest can be held by a healthy person with relatively strong grip strength, but the upper surface of the armrest has a flat shape to support the passenger's arm in the left and right direction. It has no shape. For this reason, in situations where the vehicle body suddenly tilts to the left or right, a person with weakened muscle strength may not be able to easily support his or her body.

It is also conceivable to install airbags to protect passengers in driving situations where the vehicle body is tilted. However, when the airbag deploys, problems may arise, such as the passenger not being able to easily leave the vehicle body. Furthermore, once the airbag is activated, it cannot be reused and there is a problem in that repair costs are high. Furthermore, there is a risk that the configuration in which the airbag is attached may impair the comfort of the user, and there is room for improvement.

Therefore, the present inventor focused on the shape of the armrest and came up with the present invention in order to enable the occupants of electric vehicles such as senior cars to maintain a stable posture with a simple configuration without using an airbag. did. In this embodiment, the configuration of the armrest 72 is devised so that when the tilt of the vehicle body is detected, a support member on which the arm (around the elbow and forearm) can be hung protrudes upward from the armrest 72, and the passenger makes it easier to support the body. By supporting the passenger's body with the armrest 72 that protrudes upward and maintaining his or her posture, displacement of the seating position on the seat 7 (seat cushion 70) is suppressed, and movement of the center of gravity in the inclination direction is minimized. The possibility of the vehicle body falling over can be reduced. Further, by extending the support member to the vicinity of the passenger's head, it is possible to further improve the protection performance for the passenger.

Specifically, the electric vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment includes the inclination sensor 80 that detects the inclination of the vehicle as described above. For example, when the inclination of the vehicle detected by the inclination sensor 80 exceeds a predetermined threshold, at least a portion of the armrest 72 moves upward.

According to this configuration, by moving a portion of the armrest 72 located at a relatively low position upward, the passenger can support his or her body using the portion of the armrest 72 that has been moved upward. be. In this way, in a driving situation where the vehicle is tilted, the occupant can maintain a stable posture with a simple configuration without using an airbag.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, the armrest of the electric vehicle according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the seat according to this embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the armrest according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the armrest according to this embodiment. Note that the armrest shown below is just an example, and is not limited to this, and can be modified as appropriate.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the armrest 72 has a base portion 73 extending forward from the side of the seat back 71, and a base portion 73 that rotates relative to the base portion 73 on the outside of the base portion 73 in the left-right direction of the vehicle. It is configured to include a rotating part 74 that can be rotated, and a protruding part 75 that can protrude from the tip of the rotating part 74.

The base portion 73 is formed into a generally rectangular shape when viewed from the side and extends in the front-rear direction. The base portion 73 has a proximal end (rear end) connected to a side portion of the seat back 71, and the vertical width thereof decreases from the proximal end toward the distal end (front end). A rotating shaft 73a that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction is provided on the outer side surface in the vehicle width direction on the base end side of the base portion 73.

Further, a locking means 76 for locking the rotating portion 74 and the protruding portion 75 at a predetermined position (normal position) is built into the distal end side of the base portion 73. Specifically, the locking means 76 includes a pin portion 76a that can protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer side surface of the base portion 73 in the vehicle width direction, and an actuator 76b that expands and contracts the pin portion 76a. The pin portion 76a is configured to be able to protrude and retract from the outer side surface of the base portion 73 in the vehicle width direction. Although details will be described later, in a normal state, the pin portion 76a protrudes from the outer side surface of the base portion 73 in the vehicle width direction, and its tip engages with the rotating portion 74 and the protruding portion 75 to suppress their movement. position. In other words, the base portion 73 and the rotating portion 74 are integrated by the pin portion 76a. The actuator 76b expands and contracts the pin portion 76a according to commands from the control device 8. The control device 8 controls the operation of the actuator 76b according to the output of the tilt sensor 80, for example. Although the figure shows an embodiment in which the actuator 76b is arranged coaxially with the pin portion 76a, the pin portion 76a may be linked to the actuator 76b via a link or the like. By doing so, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in the location of the actuator 76b without interfering with the passenger.

The rotating part 74 is disposed on the opposite side of the base part 73 from the passenger, and has substantially the same shape as the base part 73 when viewed from the side. The rotating portion 74 is disposed outside the grip portion 53 of the handlebar 51 in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The upper surface of the rotating part 74 is continuous with the upper surface of the base part 73, and enlarges the mounting surface on which the rider places his arms. The rotating portion 74 is arranged along the outer surface of the base portion 73 so as to be long in the front-rear direction. A shaft insertion portion 74a into which the tip of the rotation shaft 73a is inserted is formed on the inner side surface in the vehicle width direction on the base end side (the end on the seat back 71 side in the longitudinal direction) of the rotation portion 74. The shaft insertion portion 74a is formed of a circular hole that is recessed from the inner side surface in the vehicle width direction toward the outer side surface in the vehicle width direction, corresponding to the rotating shaft 73a. A torsion spring 77 is passed through the rotating shaft 73a, and the tip of the rotating shaft 73a is inserted into the shaft insertion portion 74a. Thereby, the rotating part 74 is supported by the base part 73 so as to be rotatable (rotatable) about the rotating shaft 73a as a central axis. In other words, the rotating portion 74 is configured to be rotatable relative to the base portion 73 about the rotating shaft 73a as a central axis. Note that the rotation axis 73a can also be a common axis with the rotation axis of the base portion 73 to the storage position. However, by using separate axes, the armrest 72 can be assembled part by part, and productivity can be improved. In this case, it is preferable that the rotating shaft 73a be disposed closer to the front of the vehicle than the rotating shaft for moving the base portion 73 to the storage position.

Although details are not shown, one end of the torsion spring 77 is locked to the base portion 73 side, and the other end of the torsion spring 77 is locked to the rotating portion 74 side. Further, the torsion spring 77 is elastically deformed in a state where the base portion 73 and the rotating portion 74 are integrated by engagement with the pin portion 76a. Therefore, the rotating portion 74 is constantly urged by the torsion spring 77 in a direction such that the tip of the rotating portion 74 projects upwardly from the upper surface of the base portion 73. That is, the torsion spring 77 functions as a first biasing means that biases the rotating portion 74 in the rotational direction (the direction in which the rotating portion 74 protrudes above the upper surface of the base portion 73) with respect to the base portion 73.

Furthermore, a recess 74b having a predetermined depth is formed in the rotating portion 74 from the tip to the rear end. The recessed portion 74b functions as a housing portion that accommodates a protruding portion 75, which will be described later. The recess 74b has a shape corresponding to the protrusion 75, and is formed deeper than the length of the protrusion 75 to a depth that reaches a predetermined position on the base end side. Further, on the inner side surface in the vehicle width direction on the distal end side of the rotating portion 74, a first engaging portion 74c for engaging the pin portion 76a is formed at a location corresponding to the pin portion 76a. The first engaging portion 74c is constituted by a circular hole that penetrates up to the recessed portion 74b. Although details will be described later, rotation of the rotating portion 74 with respect to the base portion 73 is restricted (locked) by the pin portion 76a engaging with the first engaging portion 74c.

Further, a compression coil spring 78 and a protrusion 75 are inserted into the recess 74b. One end of the compression coil spring 78 is in contact with the bottom surface of the recess 74b, and the other end of the compression coil spring 78 is in contact with the rear end of the protrusion 75. Therefore, the protruding part 75 is always biased by the compression coil spring 78 in the direction of protruding forward relative to the distal end of the rotating part 74 while being disposed within the recess 74b and engaged with the pin part 76a. That is, the recessed portion 74b is formed along the longitudinal direction of the rotating portion 74, and the compression coil spring 78 biases the protruding portion 75 to protrude in the longitudinal direction of the rotating portion 74. As a result, the protruding portion 75 protrudes to extend the rotating portion 74. That is, the compression coil spring 78 functions as a second biasing means that biases the protruding portion 75 in the protruding direction with respect to the rotating portion 74 .

The protruding portion 75 is formed of an elongated body extending along the longitudinal direction of the rotating portion 74, and has a shape corresponding to the recessed portion 74b. The protruding part 75 is housed in the recess 74b at a position where the distal end thereof is flush with the distal end of the rotating part 74, and the protruding part 75 has a second engagement for engaging the pin part 76a with the inner side surface in the vehicle width direction. A portion 75a is formed. The second engaging portion 75a is formed at a location corresponding to the pin portion 76a and the first engaging portion 74c. The second engaging portion 75a is constituted by a circular hole having a predetermined depth that can accommodate the tip of the pin portion 76a. Although details will be described later, the engagement of the pin portion 76a with the second engaging portion 75a restricts (locks) the protrusion of the protruding portion 75 from the rotating portion 74. Thereby, the protrusion 75 is positioned.

In the armrest 72 configured as described above, in the normal state (normal position), the protruding part 75 is housed in the rotating part 74, and the upper surface of the rotating part 74 is flush with the upper surface of the base part 73. The movement of the rotating portion 74 is regulated by a locking means 76. Specifically, the rotation of the rotating part 74 is restricted by the pin part 76a engaging with the first engaging part 74c, and the rotation of the protruding part 75 is restricted by the pin part 76a engaging with the second engaging part 75a. Protrusion is regulated.

On the other hand, if the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor 80 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control device 8 drives the actuator 76b to retract the pin portion 76a. That is, the pin portion 76a is drawn into the inside of the base portion 73. As a result, the restrictions on the rotating portion 74 and the protruding portion 75 are released. Specifically, when the engagement between the first engaging part 74c and the pin part 76a is released, the rotating part 74 rotates around the rotating shaft 73a by the urging force of the torsion spring 77. As a result, the distal end side of the rotating section 74 moves upward, and the distal end of the rotating section 74 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the base section 73.

Moreover, by releasing the engagement between the second engaging portion 75a and the pin portion 76a, the protruding portion 75 moves in the direction of protruding from the rotating portion 74 due to the biasing force of the compression coil spring 78. Thereby, the protrusion 75 protrudes from the recess 74b.

Although details are omitted, the rotational movement of the rotating part 74 is regulated by a locking mechanism (not shown) at a position rotated by a predetermined angle with respect to the base part 73, and that position is maintained. The predetermined angle is, for example, about 45 degrees, and is a position extending obliquely forward and upward of the passenger when viewed from the side. Similarly, the movement of the protruding part 75 is regulated by a locking mechanism (not shown) at a position where it protrudes by a predetermined length with respect to the rotating part 74, and the protruding part 75 is held at that position. The protruding length corresponds to the position of the head when the occupant bends down in preparation for falling, for example, when viewed from the side.

In this way, a portion of the armrest 72 (rotating portion 74) moves from below to above the upper surface of the armrest 72 (base portion 73) and protrudes beyond the upper surface of the armrest 72 (base portion 73). Under normal conditions, this does not pose a hindrance to the occupant, and when a large inclination is detected, the occupant can support his or her body by placing his or her arms on the rotating portion 74. In particular, it becomes possible to immediately support the body from a state where the arm is placed on the upper surface of the armrest 72.

Further, by disposing the rotating portion 74 outside the base portion 73, the movable portion of the armrest 72 (rotating portion 74) is located outside the vehicle, and it is possible to prevent the passenger from interfering with the movement of the movable portion. Further, the above configuration can be realized without considering interference between the passenger and the rotating part 74, and the degree of freedom in design is improved. In particular, since the movable part (rotating part 74) is located outside the grip part 53 of the handlebar 51 in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the rotating part 74 can be reliably moved to the outside of the arm that operates the handlebar 51. can be done. In addition, since the center of rotation of the rotating portion 74 is set to the seat back 71 side, the amount of upward movement of the rear portion of the rotating portion 74 relative to the front portion is suppressed, and the rotation of the rotating portion 74 causes the passenger's elbow to be lifted. can be suppressed.

Further, by protruding the protruding portion 75 from the tip of the rotary portion 74, it is possible to expand the range in which the passenger is supported, and it is also possible to expand the range in which the passenger is protected.

Note that it is preferable that the rotation angle of the rotating portion 74 and the protruding length of the protruding portion 75 are set in such a range that their respective tips are directed toward the head of the passenger seated on the seat 7. For example, it is preferable that the tip of the rotary part 74 or the tip of the protruding part 75 protrude at a height greater than that at which the passenger can hang his arm (elbow, forearm) and support his weight. According to this configuration, the passenger can support his or her body using the rotating portion 74 and the protruding portion 75. Furthermore, the passenger can support his or her body by simply moving the arm placed on the base portion 73 toward the rotating portion 74 or the protruding portion 75. Therefore, it is possible to quickly support the body (upper body) with the arms without requiring large movements.

Note that after the armrest 72 moves, the locking mechanism of the rotating part 74 and the locking mechanism of the protruding part 75 are released, the rotating part 74 is returned to its original position, and the protruding part 75 is accommodated in the recess 74b and the pin is removed. By engaging the portion 76a, the rotating portion 74 and the protruding portion 75 are fixed at the normal position. Thereby, it is possible to use the armrest 72 in a normal state again.

Further, as described above, the armrest 72 according to the present embodiment includes a rotating portion 74 and a protruding portion 75 that are movable relative to the base portion 73, and the relative movement with respect to the base portion 73 is controlled by a torsion spring. 77 and compression coil spring 78. Further, movement restriction of the rotating portion 74 and the protruding portion 75 is realized by a single locking means 76. In this way, it is possible to easily maintain the posture of the passenger with a simple configuration, and it is also possible to realize a reusable armrest 72 without using an airbag or the like.

As described above, in this embodiment, when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor 80 exceeds a predetermined threshold, at least a portion of the armrest 72 moves upward, thereby causing the vehicle to incline. In such driving situations, it is possible to stably maintain the posture of the passenger with a simple configuration without using an airbag. The occupant can be protected over a wide range by the part of the armrest 72 (rotating part 74 and protruding part 75) that has moved upward and the base part 73 that does not move. In this case, it is also possible to extend the cloth or the like between the moved part of the armrest 72 and the base portion 73 to improve the protection performance for the passenger. Further, since the part of the armrest 72 that moves upward is normally integrated with the armrest 72 or stored in the armrest 72, it does not interfere with the passenger and does not sacrifice comfort.

In addition, in the embodiment described above, the movable armrests 72 are arranged on both sides of the seat back 71, but the present invention is not limited to this structure. The movable armrest 72 may be placed only on either the left or right side. Furthermore, in a vehicle equipped with movable armrests 72 on both sides of the seat back 71, the armrests 72 on both sides may be activated when a large inclination is detected, but at least the armrest 72 on the inclination side may be activated. good.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the rotary part 74 rotates about the proximal end of the base part 73 as a fulcrum, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. Instead of the rotating part 74, a member that moves upward in parallel with respect to the base part 73 may be provided.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the rotating part 74 is disposed outside the base part 73 in the vehicle width direction, but the present invention is not limited to this structure. The rotating part 74 may be arranged inside the base part 73 in the vehicle width direction, or may be arranged inside the base part 73. Furthermore, instead of having the base portion 73 and the rotating portion 74, a configuration may be adopted in which the entire armrest 72 rotates upward when a large inclination is detected. In this case, the armrest 72 that rotates upward may have a protrusion 75.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the protruding portion 75 is provided in addition to the rotating portion 74, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The protrusion 75 does not necessarily have to be provided.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the locking means 76 releases the rotation restriction of the rotating portion 74 and the protrusion restriction of the protruding portion 75 substantially simultaneously, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the timing of the rotation of the rotating part 74 and the protrusion of the protrusion part 75 may be shifted by controlling the protrusion and retraction of the pin part 76a in stages. Specifically, the pin portion 76a is first retracted to release only the engagement with the second engaging portion 75a, thereby causing the protruding portion 75 to protrude, and then the pin portion 76a is further retracted to release the engagement with the second engaging portion 75a. The rotating portion 74 may be rotated by releasing the engagement with the mating portion 74c. In this case, by controlling the protrusion length of the pin portion 76a midway, only the protrusion portion 75 may be configured to operate. By activating only the protruding portion 75, when the vehicle suddenly stops due to wheels coming off, etc., it is possible to prevent the vehicle from falling forward.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the locking means 76 is provided on the base portion 73, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The locking means 76 may be provided on the rotating portion 74, the protruding portion 75, and the seat back 71, for example. However, by providing the locking means 76 on the base part 73, the rotating part 74, and the protruding part 75, the base part 73 and the rotating part 74 can be integrated, and the rotating part 74 can be stored along the seat back 71 together with the base part 73. It can be rotated to any position, improving convenience. Note that in the embodiment described above, the armrest 72 can be rotated to a storage position along the seat back 71. For this reason, it is preferable to operate the rotating portion 74 and the protruding portion 75 by detecting that the armrest 72 is in the use position where the passenger rests his or her arms. In this case, when it cannot be detected that the armrest 72 is in the use position (when it is detected that it is in the retracted position), it is preferable that the rotating part 74 and the protruding part 75 not be operated.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the control device 8 controls the operation of the actuator 76b based on the output of the tilt sensor 80, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the control device 8 may control the operation of the actuator 76b based on the output of an operating means 81 that can be operated by the passenger. Thereby, the armrest 72 can be moved at any timing according to the intention of the passenger.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the inclination threshold determined as a condition for moving the armrest 72 can be set to an arbitrary value. For example, it is possible for the passenger to set a threshold value. Further, the rotation range of the rotary part 74 and the protrusion length of the protrusion part 75 can also be changed as appropriate.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the torsion spring 77 is disposed on the rotating shaft 73a, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, a torsion bar in which the rotating shaft 73a has a built-in function of the torsion spring 77 may be used instead of the rotating shaft 73a.

Further, although the present embodiment and the modified example have been described, the above embodiment and the modified example may be combined in whole or in part as other embodiments of the present invention.

Further, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be variously changed, replaced, and modified without departing from the spirit of the technical idea of the present invention. Furthermore, if the technical idea of the present invention can be realized in a different manner due to advances in technology or other derived technologies, it may be implemented using that method. Accordingly, the claims cover all embodiments that may fall within the spirit of the invention.

As explained above, the present invention protects the occupant by allowing the occupant to maintain a stable posture in a driving situation where the vehicle is tilted, without using an airbag, and with a simple configuration. It is particularly useful for armrests applied to electric vehicles such as senior cars.

1 : Electric vehicle 2 : Vehicle body 3 : Front wheel 4 : Rear wheel 5 : Handle unit 6 : Front basket 7 : Seat 8 : Control device 20 : Body frame 21 : Front cover 22 : Rear cover 23 : Floor mat 24 : Leg shield 31 : Suspension 41 : Suspension 50 : Handle bracket 51 : Handlebar 52 : Straight part 53 : Grip part 54 : Rearview mirror 60 : Upper plate 70 : Seat cushion 71 : Seat back 72 : Armrest 73 : Base part 73a : Rotation shaft 74 : Rotation Part 74a: Shaft insertion part 74b: Recessed part 74c: First engaging part 75: Projecting part 75a: Second engaging part 76: Locking means 76a: Pin part 76b: Actuator 77: Torsion spring 78: Compression coil spring 80: Inclined Sensor 81: Operating means

Claims (8)

An armrest supported by a seat back so as to be movable between a position where a passenger can place his arm and a storage position in an electric vehicle having an inclination sensor that detects the inclination of the vehicle body,
If the horizontal inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the arm rest is extended forward of the seat back and is a position where the passenger can place his/her arms. A part of the armrest moves upwards so that a passenger resting on the armrest can hang his or her arm to prevent lateral movement. Support ,
A base portion extending toward the front;
and a rotating part that can rotate upward about the proximal end of the base part as a fulcrum,
When the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the rotating part rotates so that a tip thereof protrudes from the upper surface of the base part,
The rotating part extends along the base part,
Further comprising a protruding part that can protrude from the tip of the rotating part,
The armrest is characterized in that when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, a tip of the protruding portion protrudes from a tip of the rotating portion. The armrest according to claim 1, wherein the part of the armrest that moves upward moves from below to above with respect to the upper surface of the armrest and protrudes beyond the upper surface of the armrest. The armrest according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the rotating part is arranged outside the base part. An armrest for an electric vehicle having an inclination sensor that detects the inclination of a vehicle body,
When the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, at least a part of the armrest moves upward;
A base portion extending toward the front;
and a rotating part that can rotate upward about the proximal end of the base part as a fulcrum,
When the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the rotating part rotates so that a tip thereof protrudes from the upper surface of the base part,
The rotating part extends along the base part,
Further comprising a protruding part that can protrude from the tip of the rotating part,
The armrest is characterized in that when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, a tip of the protruding portion protrudes from a tip of the rotating portion. An armrest for an electric vehicle having an inclination sensor that detects the inclination of a vehicle body,
When the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, at least a part of the armrest moves upward;
The part of the armrest that moves upward moves from below to above with respect to the top surface of the armrest and protrudes beyond the top surface of the armrest.
A base portion extending toward the front;
and a rotating part that can rotate upward about the proximal end of the base part as a fulcrum,
When the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the rotating part rotates so that a tip thereof protrudes from the upper surface of the base part,
The rotating part extends along the base part,
Further comprising a protruding part that can protrude from the tip of the rotating part,
The armrest is characterized in that when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, a tip of the protruding portion protrudes from a tip of the rotating portion. The armrest according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein the rotating part is arranged outside the base part. The armrest according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein a movement range of the rotating portion and/or the protruding portion is set in a range toward the passenger's head. first urging means for urging the rotating part in the rotational direction;
a second biasing means for biasing the protrusion in the protrusion direction;
further comprising a locking means for restricting rotation of the rotating part and movement of the protruding part,
4. The locking means releases the restriction on the rotation of the rotary part and the movement of the protruding part when the inclination of the vehicle body detected by the inclination sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold. 7. The armrest as described in 7 .

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