Fully collapsing armrest insert with tunable tensioning elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019152367-A1
Application number	US-201916246718-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2019
Priority date	Apr 25, 2014
Publication date	May 23, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A collapsible vehicular armrest substrate includes load-bearing strips extending across a gap defined within a support frame. A first tunable element secures the load-bearing strips in a support position on the support frame. A first tension-adjusting portion sets a predetermined first tension limit of the first tunable element. The load-bearing strips disengage from the support position when the first tunable element experiences an actual tension greater than the predetermined first tension limit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for positioning a selectively tunable armrest within a vehicle, comprising steps of:
determining first and second tension limits for an armrest; forming a collapsible armrest substrate having a plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips and first and second tunable elements; adjusting first and second tension adjusting portions of the first and second tunable elements, respectively, to substantially match the first and second tension limits; and disposing the collapsible armrest substrate that has been adjusted to substantially match the first and second tension limits into the armrest.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of:
disposing a cover member over the armrest and the collapsible armrest substrate.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
attaching the collapsible armrest substrate to a frame of a vehicle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting the first and second tension adjusting portions of the first and second tunable elements includes threadably adjusting the first and second tension adjusting portions.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips and the first and second tunable elements cooperatively define a collapsible grid.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips are flexible strips coupled to and extending between the first and second tunable elements.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the collapsible armrest substrate further includes a plurality of tying elements, wherein the plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips are substantially perpendicular to the plurality of tying elements, and wherein each tying element extends continuously across and engages each load-bearing strip of the plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of tying elements and the plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips are integrally formed from a single piece.

9 . A method for forming a vehicle armrest, comprising steps of:
determining first and second tension limits corresponding to said vehicle armrest; threadably adjusting first and second tension adjusting portions of a collapsible grid to substantially match the first and second tension limits, respectively, and to define a collapsible armrest substrate; and attaching the collapsible armrest substrate to a frame of said vehicle armrest.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the collapsible grid includes a plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips and first and second tunable elements.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second tunable elements include the first and second tension adjusting portions, respectively.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the collapsible load-bearing strips are flexible strips coupled to and extending between the first and second tunable elements.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the collapsible grid further includes a plurality of tying elements, wherein the plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips are substantially perpendicular to the plurality of tying elements, and wherein each tying element extends continuously across the collapsible load-bearing strips and engages each load-bearing strip.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of tying elements extend through at least a portion of the collapsible load-bearing strips.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein each tying element of the plurality of tying elements extends between two adjacent load-bearing strips of the collapsible load-bearing strips.

16 . A method for forming a vehicle armrest, comprising steps of:
determining first and second tension limits corresponding to said vehicle armrest; threadably adjusting a tension adjusting portion of a collapsible armrest substrate to substantially match the first and second tension limits, respectively; and attaching the collapsible armrest substrate to a frame of said vehicle armrest.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the tension adjusting portion includes first and second tunable elements that each include a threadably operable member.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the collapsible armrest substrate includes a plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips and first and second tunable elements.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the collapsible armrest substrate includes a plurality of load-bearing strips and a plurality of tying elements that are positioned perpendicular to the plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips to define a collapsible grid.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of collapsible load-bearing strips are flexible strips coupled to and extending between the first and second tunable elements.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jayasuriya Mangala A
• Mccoy Robert William
• Laird Kenneth S
• Doan Linh

Classifications

• B60N2/753

  movable to an inoperative position · CPC title

• B60N2/78 Primary

  post or panel mounted · CPC title

• B60N2/42709

  involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure · CPC title

• A47C7/54

  Supports for the arms · CPC title

• B60R21/04

  Padded linings for the vehicle interior {; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings} · CPC title