Armrest substrate having detachable elongated support bands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016368402-A1
Application number	US-201615251600-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 30, 2016
Priority date	Apr 7, 2014
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A collapsible vehicle armrest includes an armrest substrate extending between a door frame and a door trim and defining an opening therebetween. The opening has a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with the door frame. A plurality of support bands extends co-planar across the opening and parallel with the longitudinal axis. A plurality of stubs extends across each gap defined between adjacent support bands. Each stub is free of alignment with each other of the plurality of stubs in a direction perpendicular to the plurality of support bands. A cover member extends over the armrest substrate and the plurality of support bands, wherein the cover member is vertically supported proximate the opening by the plurality of parallel support bands and the plurality of stubs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle armrest comprising:
at least four longitudinal support bands continuously extending co-planar across an opening defined between a door frame and a door trim; selectively detachable stubs extending across each gap defined between adjacent support bands, each stub being thinner than each support band; and a deck extending between the door frame and the door trim and having a deflecting portion adapted to bend when the door trim moves toward the door frame.

2 . The vehicle armrest of claim 1 , wherein the opening includes a primary axis, and wherein the longitudinal support bands extend parallel with the primary axis.

3 . The vehicle armrest of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover member extending over the longitudinal support bands, wherein the cover member is vertically supported by the longitudinal support bands proximate the opening.

4 . The vehicle armrest of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first side of an armrest substrate proximate the door trim; a second side of the armrest substrate proximate a sheet metal inner of the door frame, wherein when the door trim and the first side are moved toward the sheet metal inner and second side, the stubs selectively disengage from one of the adjacent longitudinal support bands to allow the longitudinal support bands to slide laterally relative to one another, wherein the armrest substrate is free of lateral support between the first and second sides from the longitudinal support bands and the stubs.

5 . The vehicle armrest of claim 1 , wherein each stub is free of alignment with each other of the plurality of stubs in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support bands.

6 . The vehicle armrest of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal support bands include four support bands that define three gaps therebetween.

7 . The vehicle armrest of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal support bands are plastic.

8 . The vehicle armrest of claim 1 , wherein the deck is plastic.

9 . A vehicle armrest comprising:
four longitudinal support bands continuously extending co-planar across an opening positioned over a collapsible deck extending between a door frame and a door trim; and a plurality of selectively detachable stubs extending across each gap defined between adjacent support bands, each stub being thinner than each support band and free of alignment with each other of the plurality of stubs in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal support bands.

10 . The vehicle armrest of claim 9 , wherein the collapsible deck includes a deflecting portion, the collapsible deck adapted to bend at the deflecting portion when the door trim is moved toward the door frame.

11 . The vehicle armrest of claim 9 , wherein the opening is further defined between the door trim and the door frame.

12 . The vehicle armrest of claim 9 , wherein when the door trim moves toward the door frame, the stubs selectively disengage from one of the adjacent longitudinal support bands to allow the longitudinal support bands to slide laterally relative to one another.

13 . The vehicle armrest of claim 9 , wherein the longitudinal support bands are plastic.

14 . A collapsible vehicle armrest comprising:
an armrest substrate extending between a door frame and a door trim and defining an opening therebetween, the opening having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with the door frame, and wherein a collapsible frame strap extends across the opening; at least four continuous support bands extending substantially co-planar across the opening and parallel with the longitudinal axis, the support bands positioned over the collapsible frame strap; and a plurality of selectively detachable stubs extending across each gap defined between adjacent continuous support bands, each stub being thinner than the support bands, each gap extending through the support bands and across the opening, and wherein each support band is separated from the other of the support bands except at the stubs.

15 . The collapsible vehicle armrest of claim 14 , wherein each stub is free of alignment with each other of the plurality of stubs in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plurality of continuous support bands.

16 . The collapsible vehicle armrest of claim 14 , wherein the collapsible frame strap extends between the door frame and the door trim.

17 . The collapsible vehicle armrest of claim 14 , further comprising:
a cover member extending over the armrest substrate and the plurality of continuous support bands, wherein the cover member is vertically supported proximate the opening by the plurality of continuous support bands and the plurality of stubs.

18 . The collapsible vehicle armrest of claim 14 , further comprising:
a first side of the armrest substrate proximate the door trim; a second side of the armrest substrate proximate a sheet metal inner of the door frame, wherein when the door trim and the first side are moved toward the sheet metal inner and second side, the stubs selectively disengage from one of the adjacent continuous support bands to allow the continuous support bands to slide laterally relative to one another, wherein the armrest substrate is free of lateral support between the first and second sides from the continuous support bands and the stubs.

19 . The collapsible vehicle armrest of claim 14 , wherein the collapsible frame strap is plastic.

20 . The collapsible vehicle armrest of claim 14 , wherein the collapsible frame strap extends at an inclined angle from a frame deck to a portion of the door frame, the collapsible frame strap and the frame deck cooperating to define a deflecting portion of the armrest substrate.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hamdoon Muhsin M
• Elbkaily Marwan Ahmad
• Baig Bakhtyar
• Doan Linh
• Pamarthi Bhaskara Rao

Classifications

• B60N2/42709 Primary

  involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure · CPC title

• B60N2/466

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/75

  Arm-rests · CPC title

• B60J5/00 Primary

  Doors (B60J10/00 takes precedence; window aspects B60J1/00 {; side board or tailgate structures for open load compartments B62D33/023}) · CPC title

• B60N2/78 Primary

  post or panel mounted · CPC title