Articulating armrest

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10259368-B2
Application number	US-201615218806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2016
Priority date	Jul 24, 2015
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

An articulating armrest includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion that protrude from a member a predetermined spacing apart. Each protrusion aligns within a separate track within a housing configured for stowing the armrest within a seat back. The two tracks include straight and curved portions configured to articulate the armrest. Specifically, the armrest moves along a curvilinear path between stowed and deployed positions by translating along the tracks and pivoting about the second protrusion. The armrest may stow in a seat back and beneath the seat bottom to provide a full length armrest when deployed, and the armrest may stow flush with the seat back for sitting against. Mechanical tension may be provided to automatically deploy the armrest, and a rotational damper and a gas spring may be used to control the speed at which the armrest deploys.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An armrest, comprising:
a first protrusion proximate a first end, and a second protrusion at a predetermined spacing from the first protrusion; and
a housing having a first track for guiding movement of the first protrusion, the first track having a lower curved portion and upper substantially straight portion, a second track for guiding movement of the second protrusion, the second track having a lower substantially straight portion and an upper curved portion, the movement of the first and second protrusions through the first and second tracks, respectively, relative to one another enabling the armrest to enter through a plurality of phases of deployment, comprising:
a release phase in which the armrest is released from the housing, wherein release phase involves the first protrusion initially translating through the curved portion of the first track, and the armrest, at the same time, pivots about the second protrusion which remains stationary at a lower end of the second track thereby releasing a tip of the armrest from the housing; a translation phase in which the armrest is translated a distance; an articulation phase in which the armrest flips out of the housing; and a securement phase where the armrest is secured in place.

2. The armrest of claim 1 , wherein the translation phase includes the first protrusion translating through the substantially straight portion of the first track and the second protrusion translating through the substantially straight portion of the second track.

3. The armrest of claim 2 , wherein the articulation phase involves the first protrusion continuing its translation through the substantially straight portion of the first track and the second protrusion translating through the curved portion of the second track causing the armrest to simultaneously pivot and translate.

4. The armrest of claim 3 , wherein the securement phase comprises the first protrusion continuing translation through the substantially straight portion of the first track and the armrest pivoting about the second protrusion which remains stationary at an upper end of the second track thereby securing the armrest in the deployed position.

5. The armrest of claim 1 , wherein the housing is located within a seat back and the armrest is flush with the seat back when stowed within the housing.

6. The armrest of claim 5 , wherein the housing further extends beneath a seat bottom such that the armrest extends beneath the seat bottom when stowed.

7. The armrest of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical tension device configured to provide tension to the first protrusion for pulling the first protrusion upward along the first track after the release phase.

8. The armrest of claim 7 , further comprising a rotational damper configured to control the speed at which the mechanical tension device pulls the first protrusion upward thereby controlling the speed at which the armrest deploys.

9. The armrest of claim 7 , wherein the mechanical tension device is a spring.

10. The armrest of claim 9 , wherein the spring is a clock spring.

11. The armrest of claim 1 , further comprising a gap located above an upper tip of the armrest when the armrest is stowed for accessing the tip of the armrest.

12. The armrest of claim 1 , further comprising a gas spring mechanically coupled to the first protrusion to control the speed at which the first protrusion translates upward along the first track, thereby controlling the speed at which the armrest deploys.

13. A method of deploying an armrest, comprising:
providing a housing for stowing the armrest in a stowed position, the armrest being mounted on a moveable axis such that the armrest can be angularly rotated downward and outward relative to the housing and into a deployed position; and
using a mechanical tension device to provide a force to the armrest as the armrest moves from the stowed position into the deployed position, the mechanical tension device being mechanically coupled to a protrusion of the armrest and slidably secured along a track.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mechanical tension device is a clock spring, and a speed at which the clock spring pulls the protrusion upward is controlled by a rotational damper.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the speed at which the armrest pivots is controlled by a gas spring mechanically coupled to the protrusion to prevent the armrest from slamming down.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein movement of the protrusion within the track is smoothed using one or more roller bearings.

17. An armrest, comprising:
a housing for stowing the armrest within a seat back, the housing comprising:
a first pair of opposing tracks configured for guiding a first protrusion of the armrest; and
a second pair of opposing tracks configured for guiding a second protrusion of the armrest; and
a mechanical tension device mechanically coupled to the housing for pulling the armrest, wherein the first protrusion translates along the first pair of opposing tracks and the second protrusion translates along the second pair of opposing tracks, and the first and second pairs of opposing tracks are configured for the armrest to articulate from a stowed position to a deployed position by pivoting and translating along a curvilinear path.

18. The armrest of claim 17 , wherein the mechanical tension device is a clock spring.

19. The armrest of claim 18 , further comprising a rotational damper for controlling the rate that the clock spring pulls the armrest, thereby controlling the rate that the armrest articulates from the stowed position to the deployed position.

20. The armrest of claim 17 , further comprising a gas spring mechanically coupled to the armrest to control the rate of pivoting and translating along the curvilinear path from the stowed position to the deployed position.

21. A system comprising:
a first axially-aligned protrusion proximate a first end of a transversely-aligned member;
a second axially-aligned protrusion substantially parallel to the first axially-aligned protrusion, located further from the first end of the transversely-aligned member than is the first axially-aligned protrusion; and
the transversely-aligned member being deployed from a housing, the housing including:
a first slot configured for receiving and guiding the first axially-aligned protrusion, the first slot having a curved lower end and a straight upper end forming a J-shaped path (when viewed in cross-section) for guiding the first axially-aligned protrusion; and
a second slot for receiving the second protrusion, the second slot being aligned relatively adjacent the first slot, the second slot having a substantially straight lower portion and a curved upper portion (when viewed in cross-section) for guiding the second protrusion away from the first slot, such that the transversely-aligned member moves upwards and pivots outwards from the housing when deployed.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the first axially-aligned protrusion and the second axially-aligned protrusion extend through the transversely-aligned member, and the housing further comprises:
a third slot substantially parallel to the first slot on an opposite side of the housing forming a first pair of opposing slots; and
a fourth slot substantially parallel to the second slot on the opposite side of the housing, being aligned relatively adjacent the third slot, forming a second pair of opposing slots.

Assignees

• Cessna Aircraft Co
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Ward Barry John
• Kuhn David Michael
• Davis David Wayne

Classifications

• B60N2/79 Primary

  Adaptations for additional use of the arm-rests · CPC title

• B60N2/757 Primary

  in a recess of the back-rest · CPC title

• B60N3/102

  storable or foldable in a non-use position · CPC title