Door trim armrest substrate structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9925897-B2
Application number	US-201414530910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2014
Priority date	Dec 17, 2013
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle armrest including a fabric member tensioned across a gap defined between inner and outer armrest substrates that are formed around a portion of the fabric member. At least one buckling member extends across the gap between the inner and outer armrest substrates and a cover member extends over and vertically supported by the fabric member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle armrest comprising:
a tensioned fabric member extending across and over inner and outer armrest substrates that are formed flush with and under the tensioned fabric member, the tensioned fabric member also extending across a gap defined between the inner and outer armrest substrates, wherein the tensioned fabric member and each of the inner and outer armrest substrates define a continuous top surface of a unitary fabric-based armrest, wherein the tensioned fabric member is tensioned throughout an entire engagement with each of the inner and outer armrest substrates;
first and second buckling members extending across the gap between the inner and outer armrest substrates and defining front and rear edges of the gap, respectively, wherein the first and second buckling members are integrally formed with the inner and outer armrest substrates around the tensioned fabric member;
a support member extending parallel with the inner and outer armrest substrates, the support member positioned under the tensioned fabric member and supporting the tensioned fabric member from below; and
a cover member extending over and vertically supported by the tensioned fabric member.

2. The armrest of claim 1 , wherein the inner and outer armrest substrates are injection molded members extending around and under opposing first and second edges of the tensioned fabric member, wherein the inner and outer armrest substrates are free of engagement with an upper surface of the tensioned fabric member, and wherein the first and second buckling members are injection molded members extending under the tensioned fabric member, wherein the inner and outer armrest substrates are injection molded into direct engagement with tensioned portions of the tensioned fabric member and wherein the engagement of the tensioned fabric member with the inner and outer armrest substrates is free of mechanical fasteners.

3. The armrest of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cushion member disposed upon the tensioned fabric member and vertically supported by the tensioned fabric member, wherein the cushion member is disposed under the cover member.

4. The armrest of claim 1 , wherein the tensioned fabric member includes at least two layers of reinforcing tape, wherein each layer of reinforcing tape includes tension resisting fibers oriented along a primary axis of a respective layer of reinforcing tape, wherein at least one primary axis is positioned parallel with the first and second buckling members, and wherein at least one primary axis is positioned parallel with the inner and outer armrest substrates.

5. The armrest of claim 4 , wherein the support member extends across the gap between the first and second buckling members and is free of engagement with the inner and outer armrest substrates, and wherein the at least one support member is positioned below the tensioned fabric member and supports the tensioned fabric member from below.

6. The armrest of claim 1 , wherein the tensioned fabric member is tensioned between the inner and outer armrest substrates at a predetermined tension, and wherein the tensioned fabric member includes at least one layer of reinforcing tape having tension resisting fibers oriented along a primary axis of each at least one layer of reinforcing tape, wherein at least one of the at least one layers of reinforcing tape is positioned to orient the primary axis to be parallel with the first and second buckling members.

7. The armrest of claim 6 , wherein the tensioned fabric member is tensioned within and between the first and second buckling members.

8. The armrest of claim 7 , wherein the at least one layer of reinforcement tape includes a plurality of layers of reinforcement tape, and wherein the plurality of layers are positioned such that the primary axes of the plurality of layers are disposed in at least one angular direction within the tensioned fabric member.

9. A vehicle armrest comprising:
a tensioned reinforced fabric member extending across and over inner and outer armrest substrates and first and second buckling members, respectively, that are molded flush with and under the tensioned reinforced fabric member to form a continuous upper surface of a unitary fabric-based armrest, the tensioned reinforced fabric member also extending across a gap defined between the inner and outer armrest substrates and the first and second buckling members, wherein the tensioned reinforced fabric member is tensioned within a structure of and between the inner and outer armrest substrates at a predetermined tension and defines the continuous upper surface over the structure of the inner and outer armrest substrates, wherein the inner and outer armrest substrates and the first and second buckling members are free of engagement with an upper surface of the tensioned reinforced fabric member; and
a cover member extending over and vertically supported by the tensioned reinforced fabric member.

10. The armrest of claim 9 , wherein the first and second buckling members extend across the gap and between the inner and outer armrest substrates, and wherein the tensioned reinforced fabric member is tensioned in a first angular direction between inner and outer armrest substrates and tensioned in a second angular direction between the first and second buckling members.

11. The armrest of claim 10 , wherein the first and second buckling members and the inner and outer armrest substrates are injection molded members formed as an integral piece.

12. The armrest of claim 10 , wherein the first buckling member is disposed at a front edge of the inner and outer armrest substrates, and the second buckling member is disposed at a rear edge of the inner and outer armrest substrates, wherein the gap extends continuously between the first and second buckling members.

13. The armrest of claim 12 , further comprising:
at least one under-cushion vertical support that extends across the gap between the first and second buckling members, wherein the at least one under-cushion vertical support is positioned on top of the tensioned reinforced fabric member, and is free of engagement with the inner and outer armrest substrates.

14. The armrest of claim 13 , wherein the cover member extends over a cushion member and the inner and outer armrest substrates, wherein the cover member is at least partially supported from below by the tensioned reinforced fabric member.

15. The armrest of claim 13 , wherein the inner and outer armrest substrates, the first and second buckling members and the at least one under-cushion vertical support are injection molded members extending around at least opposing first and second edges of the tensioned reinforced fabric member.

16. A method for forming a fabric substrate for a vehicular armrest, the method comprising the steps of:
disposing a fabric member within a mold for an armrest substrate, the mold having inner and outer substrate-forming portions;
disposing at least one support member within a portion of the mold, wherein the at least one support member extends continuously under the fabric member and is parallel with and free of engagement with the inner and outer substrate-forming portions;
disposing first and second buckling members within the mold between the inner and outer substrate-forming portions, wherein the at least one support member engages the first and second buckling members;
tensioning the fabric member within the mold to a predetermined tension, the fabric member being tensioned within and between the inner and outer substrate-forming portions, wherein the fabric member is tensio

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Doan Linh
• Laird Kenneth S
• Zhou Yudong
• Judge Karen

Classifications

• B29K2713/00

  Use of textile products or fabrics for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts (B29K2105/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C70/687

  the inserts being oriented, e.g. nets or meshes · CPC title

• B29C45/14336

  Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article (B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C45/14065

  Positioning or centering articles in the mould · CPC title

• B60N2/42

  the seat constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats (for protecting children B60N2/26; arm-rests B60N2/75; head-rests B60N2/888) · CPC title