JP2007185223A - Armrest device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an armrest device capable of adjusting height continuously with light force just by the operation of an arm alone. <P>SOLUTION: When the arm is in an angle adjustable range, a coil spring is tightened so as to make turning impossible by the downward turning of the arm, and it is loosened so as to allow free turning and make continuous height adjustment possible by upward turning. When exceeding the angle adjustable range, the coil spring is held in a fixed loosened state to make upward turning and downward turning possible. When the arm is returned to an initial position, the loosened state is released. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is provided on various seats including an automobile seat, and is provided so as to be able to rotate from an initial position where the seat is tilted slightly below the horizontal position to a stowed position along the seat back surface. The present invention also relates to an armrest device for adjusting the angle of an armrest (arm).

  The arm is restricted (locked) from turning downward and allowed to unlock (unlocked). As this mechanism, there is one utilizing a brake action of a coil spring. In general, when the coil spring is wound around the drum, even if the other end is free, if one end is turned in the direction in which the coil spring is tightened (reduced diameter), the coil spring tightens the drum and does not rotate itself, but loosens (expands). When rotated in the (diameter) direction, the coil spring has the property of sliding freely on the drum and rotating freely. The coil spring utilizes this property, and the advantage of this is that the arm angle can be adjusted steplessly.

  On the other hand, this property interferes with returning the arm to the initial position. At this time, it is necessary to prevent the coil spring from being tightened. However, in the conventional structure, some other control member is provided, and when returning to the initial position, this property of the coil spring is attenuated by this control member. However, according to this, there is a drawback that both the arm and the control member need to be operated and the operation becomes complicated. Therefore, recently, as seen in Patent Document 1 below, there is one that controls the tightening and loosening of a coil spring by an arm alone.

However, in this prior example, the loose end state is maintained by engaging the free end of the coil spring with the engagement hole of the arm, so the free end of the coil spring is pressed to the arm side when not engaged. It is in contact. Therefore, particularly, the windings on the free end side of the coil spring are strongly pressed against each other, and there are cases where the winding cannot be smoothly tightened due to the poor sliding between the windings when loosening or tightening. Further, since the guide member for bringing the coil spring into and out of the arm is provided on the fixed member side, a long guide shape is required and the shape becomes complicated. Further, since this guide member is a separate member, there are disadvantages that the number of parts is increased, accuracy is required for assembly, and the cost is increased.
JP 2003-299547 A

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is an armrest device with excellent operability that controls the tightening and loosening of a coil spring by an arm alone, while being able to be surely operated with a light force and having a small number of components. Is intended to be simple, small, light and low cost.

Under the above problems, the present invention is described in claim 1.
The arm cannot be rotated downward during the adjustable angle range where the arm has been raised by a certain angle from the initial position, but can be rotated upward. If the adjustable angle range is exceeded, the arm can rotate upward to the storage position and initially In an armrest device configured to be able to rotate downward to a position,
The armrest device includes a drum fixed to the side surface of the seat frame, an arm that rotates around the drum, one end fixed to the arm and wound around the drum, and the other end toward the outside of the drum. A coil spring that extends and is free, and a spring stopper that is integrally held by the arm so that the movement in the inner and outer directions and the vertical direction is restricted, and the movement of the free end of the coil spring is controlled to be constant,
When the arm is within the adjustable range of angle from the initial position, the free end is along the working surface formed on the outer surface of the drum, and the coil spring is tight against the drum for the downward rotation of the arm. The rotation is disabled, the upper rotation is loosened and the rotation is enabled.
When the arm exceeds the angle adjustable range, the free end rides on the first inclined cam formed so as to gradually rise from the working surface in the upward rotation direction of the arm and is formed in parallel with the rotation direction of the arm. The coil spring is held in a certain loose state by being held by a spring stopper on the top surface of the inclined cam, allowing the arm to rotate upward and downward,
When the arm returns to the initial position, the holding by the spring stopper is released by the second inclined cam formed so that the free end gradually decreases in the downward rotation direction of the arm from the top surface of the first inclined cam to the working surface. An armrest device is provided that is pulled down to a working surface.

  In this regard, the present invention provides, as a specific configuration of the spring stopper, a groove for inserting the free end of the coil spring into the spring stopper so as to be rotatable in the rotational direction of the arm, and a right angle to the groove. A step is formed, and the free end is held by the spring stopper. The free end is pushed from the groove to the step by the first inclined cam, and the coil spring is maintained in a certain loose state. Provides means for being pulled back from the step into the groove by the second inclined cam.

  Furthermore, the present invention provides the above arm rest device, wherein the stop surface for restricting the advance of the free end is formed at the tip of the top surface corresponding to the arm storage position according to claim 3. The free end side of the coil spring described in Item 4 is once curved in a large diameter direction and extends linearly in a range smaller than the winding diameter toward the center, and this straight line portion is formed on the outer surface of the drum. The arm that is slidably contacted, and the arm according to claim 5 has a rectangular inner cup body that externally fits the rear end portion to the inner side of the drum, and the rear end portion is fitted to the outer side of the drum. A means comprising an outer cup body closed with an inner cup body, and means for covering the outer periphery of the arm with a soft covering material with a soft foamed urethane, respectively, according to claim 6 are provided.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the working surface for controlling the tightening and loosening of the coil spring, the first inclined cam, its top surface, and the second inclined cam are formed directly on the side surface of the drum, another member is required. do not do. Furthermore, setting of the angle adjustment range and the like can be arbitrarily changed simply by changing the positions of these surfaces and the cam. Therefore, the number of parts is reduced and the assembly of the members is not required, so that the structure is simplified and the cost is low, and the size and weight are small. In addition, in the arm adjustable angle adjustment range, the coil spring is not compressed in the axial direction between the coil spring windings, so that the windings can be smoothly tightened or loosened without obstructing slippage between the windings. The operability is excellent and the load is lightened. Further, according to the invention of claim 2, since the spring stopper suffices with a simple structure such as a groove and a step, the spring stopper can be realized at low cost and compactly.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 is a side view of a seat frame S that is a skeleton of an automobile seat. The seat frame S includes a backrest frame 1 that can be tilted with respect to a seating surface (not shown). An arm 2 is attached to the side surface of the backrest frame 1. The arm 2 is controlled to rotate downward within an adjustable angle range that is raised by an angle (about 40 °) from the initial position (A) protruding slightly downward (about 10 °) from the horizontal. It can be set to any angle. On the other hand, when the upper limit position (hereinafter referred to as the upper limit position) (B) of the angle adjustable range is exceeded, the angle (about 80 °) up to the storage position (C) along the backrest frame 1 is of course increased downward. It can be returned to the initial position (A).

  1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of an armrest device for a left hand according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the main part, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2, and FIG. The armrest device includes a drum 6 whose inner end surface is fastened and fixed to a mounting bracket 3 provided on the side surface of the backrest frame 1 by a bolt 5 or the like via a mounting bracket 4, and a drum 6 that is rotatably fitted. An arm 2 to be joined, a coil spring 8 having one end fixed to the arm 2 and wound around the drum 6, and the other end being a free end 7 extending toward the outer side of the drum 6. And a spring stopper 9 for controlling the free end 7 to a predetermined movement. In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted, on the opposing surface of the inner end surface of the drum 6 and the attachment metal fitting 4, the radial unevenness which mutually meshes is attached, and mutual rotation is controlled. By the way, in the above and the following description, the directions and parts of the arm 2, the drum 6, the coil spring 8, the spring stopper 9 and the like are described. However, in this, the inside is the side close to the seat frame S. What is outside is the far side. Further, the upper direction is the upward direction of the seat frame S, and the lower direction is the downward direction. Further, the front is the front direction of the seat frame S, and the rear is the rear direction.

  The drum 6 is a metal cylinder, and has an outer end surface along which a free end 7 of a coil spring 8 is provided. The outer end surface includes a working surface 10 on which the free end 7 is slidably lightly contacted when the arm 2 is in the initial position (A), and a drum 6 that continues to the working surface 10 in the upward rotation direction of the arm 2. A first inclined cam 11 that is formed so as to be gradually raised outward, a top surface 12 that is formed parallel to the rotational direction of the arm 2 following the top of the first inclined cam 11, and the top surface 12. A stop surface 13 that protrudes outward from the top surface 12 at a substantially right angle is formed at a location corresponding to the storage position (C) of the arm 2. Further, it is formed so as to gradually lower from the top of the stop surface 13 to the action surface 10 in the downward rotation direction of the arm 2 at a position corresponding to the initial position (A) of the arm 2 through the drum 6. A second inclined cam 14 is formed.

  The arm 2 is rotatably fitted to the drum 6, but in this example, both the inner cup body 15 on the sheet side and the outer side on the opposite sheet side, each of which has an oval cup body. The end portions are superposed and closed together in such a manner that the drum 6 is sandwiched from inside and outside with the cup body 16. In this, the inner cup body 15 is made of metal, and the outer cup body 16 is made of resin, thereby ensuring strength and reducing the weight. Then, a part of the inner side of the drum 6 is made smaller in diameter, and the inner cup body 15 is formed on the ring 17 having a predetermined width and fitted into the small diameter part, and the coil spring 8 is wound around the drum 6 and the ring 17. ing. In this way, the coil spring 8 is wound not only on the fixed drum 6 but also on the ring 17 that rotates integrally with the arm 2, because the reverse braking action of this part causes the fixing force to the arm 2. In this example, the ratio of the length of the ring 17 and the drum 6 is approximately 1: 3.

  In this case, the outer diameter of the ring 17 is made equal to the outer diameter of the large-diameter portion on the outer side of the drum 6, and the inner end of the ring 17 is folded back to the outer peripheral side in the half circumference on the rear side of the arm 2. In this bag portion 17a, the fixed end 20 side, which will be described later, of the coil spring 8 is accommodated with almost no gap. In addition, a part of the outer end side of the inner cup body 15 has a large diameter, and a gap is formed between the inner periphery thereof and the outer periphery of the coil spring 8. On the other hand, the outer cup body 16 in this portion forms a bifurcated portion 16a that is divided into an inner portion and an outer portion, and the inner portion of the bifurcated portion 16a is inserted into the gap described above in a form that lightly presses the outer periphery of the coil spring 8. As a result, the outer periphery of the coil spring 8 is held together by the fixed end 20 side outside the bag portion 17a and the free end 7 side inside the bifurcated portion 16a. It has become regulated. In addition, a soft foamed urethane 18 is interposed on the outer periphery of the arm 2 and the outer periphery is covered with a soft covering material 19 such as cloth, leather, or soft resin to ensure a smooth feeling.

  The coil spring 8 has an inner end as a fixed end 20 fixed to the arm 2, and is pressed against the arm 2 by a spring stopper 9 in this example. The portion following the fixed end 20 is a winding portion 21 wound around the outer periphery of the ring 17 and the outer periphery of the drum 6, and the free end 7 continues from the winding portion 21. The free end 7 extends along the outer surface of the drum 6. In this example, the free end 7 is once curved in a large diameter direction and linearly in a range smaller than the winding diameter of the coil spring 8 toward the center of the drum 6. Stretched. And this linear part is made to follow the outer surface of the drum 6.

  The coil spring 8 is wound around the drum 6 in such a way that the arm 2 is loosened when the arm 2 is rotated upward, and is tightened when the arm 2 is rotated downward. In this case, when the arm 2 is rotated downward by making the inner diameter of the coil spring 8 in a free state smaller than the outer diameter of the drum 6 by several percent, the brake is sufficiently and immediately effective. In addition, since the number of turns of the coil spring 8, that is, the length of the winding portion 21, increases as the braking force (load bearing performance) increases, it is determined according to the required braking force.

  Further, the larger the wire diameter of the coil spring 8 is, the higher the braking force is. Therefore, this is also determined to have a tensile strength cross-sectional area that matches the required braking force. In consideration of the above, in this example, a wire having a wire diameter of 3.5 mm has a number of turns of about 6 to 10. In addition, the contact area may be increased by forming a part of the surface on which the coil spring 8 contacts the surface of the drum 6 as a flat surface (not shown). This is to reduce the surface pressure and prevent engraving on the outer periphery of the drum 6. However, this molding does not increase the cost because the wire may be pressed with a roll or the like when the wire is wound around the coil. .

  The spring stopper 9 is a metal plate having a leg portion 22 that extends vertically along the inner circumference of the abdomen of the inner cup body 15 of the arm 2 and a substrate 23 that rises outward at a right angle to the leg portion 22. . A fitting groove 24 having a concave inner side is formed in the center of the leg portion 22, and the fixed end 20 of the coil spring 8 is fitted into the fitting groove 24 and pressed against the abdomen of the inner cup body 15. Yes. On the outer end side of the substrate 23 where the free end 7 side of the coil spring 8 is located, a step 25 perpendicular to the groove 25 parallel to the rotation direction of the arm 2 and the groove 25 formed on the lower rotation side of the arm 2 is provided. 26, and the free end 7 is inserted into the groove 25.

  In this case, it is necessary to fix the spring stopper 9 to the arm 2. However, in the present invention, the leg portion 22 is made to conform to the shape of the inner abdomen of the inner cup body 15 and the upper and lower ends are respectively removed. The attachment portion 27 is formed along the upper and lower walls of the inner cup body 15 by bending in the direction, the ends of the upper and lower walls of the inner cup body 15 are bent outward, and the attachment portion 27 is sandwiched and fixed. Furthermore, the outer ends of the upper and lower walls of the inner cup body 15 are folded inward to wrap the attachment portion 27. As a result, the vanest pad 9 is firmly fixed by the inner cup body 15 of the arm 2. In this way, by using a fixing method that does not depend on caulking, welding, rivets, bolts, or the like, it is possible to secure strong fixing at low cost. In addition, the mounting position of the spring stopper 9 with respect to the arm 2 is set to a position where the substrate 23 is in light contact with the outer periphery of the coil spring 8. By doing so, it is possible to suppress the jump of the coil spring 8 on the side where the bag portion 17a of the inner cup body 15 and the bifurcated portion 16a of the outer cup body 16 do not exist.

  Next, the operation of the armrest device having the above configuration will be described. 5 and 6 show the relationship between the end face of the drum 6, the free end 7 of the coil spring 8, and the spring stopper 9 from the initial position (A) to the storage position (C) beyond the upper limit position (B). As shown in the developed view, when the arm 2 is in the upper limit position (B) from the initial position (A), the free end 7 of the coil spring 8 is inserted into the groove 25 of the spring stopper 9 and the working surface 10 of the drum 6 is reached. It is in a state where it can move freely along. Therefore, when the arm 2 is rotated downward, the coil spring 8 is tightened with respect to the drum 6 and cannot be rotated. However, when the arm 2 is rotated upward, the coil spring 8 becomes loose and free. It will be something that can rotate.

  As a result, the angle of the arm 2 can be adjusted, and the adjustment unit is stepless. In this case, since the sliding contact of the free end 7 with the working surface 10 does not have to be so strong that a large resistance is generated in the rotation of the armrest 2 (may be non-sliding in some cases), the winding of the coil spring 8 The coils are not pressed against each other, and the windings slide smoothly when tightening and loosening, and the operation feeling is excellent, and the operation load is light.

  On the other hand, when the free end 7 reaches the upper limit position (B) and the arm 2 is further rotated upward, the free end 7 slips backward in the groove 25 by r due to the resistance of the first inclined cam 11. And rises to the top surface 12 at the level of the step 26. That is, when the free end 7 slips to this position, the free end 7 can be protruded outward, that is, expanded, and pushed to the step 26. The displacement of r of the free end 7 at this time means that the coil spring 8 is loosened. After this state, the tightening of the coil spring 8, that is, forward transition of the free end 7 with respect to the spring stopper 8 is regulated by the step 26. Therefore, the coil spring 8 is held in a certain relaxed state because the slip is restricted by the frictional force caused by the rotational force to return the coil spring 8 to its original state and does not return to the groove 25.

  Therefore, thereafter, it is possible to rotate both upward and downward, and to rotate upward to the storage position (C) as well as downward to the initial position (A). At this time, since the free end 7 is in sliding contact with the top surface 12 with a certain amount of force, the arm 2 does not fall by its own weight even when it exceeds the angle adjustable range. The above state is maintained until the arm 2 goes over the upper limit position (B) to the storage position (C). In the storage position (C), the spring stopper 9 has a higher stop surface 13 from the top surface 12 to the upper position. Since it is formed to project outward at a right angle, the spring stopper 9, that is, the arm 2, does not rotate any further.

  On the other hand, when the arm 2 is rotated downward, the free end 7 exceeds the first inclined cam 11 at the upper limit position (B). At this time, the free end 7 is also affected by the frictional resistance of the step 26 described above. You will not be pulled down to 10. This state continues to the initial position (A), and when the free end 7 returns to the initial position (A), the free end 7 is moved from the step 26 to the groove 25 by the pull-down force to the working surface 10 by the second inclined cam 14. Pulled back (narrows). Then, the coil spring 8 returns to a normal winding state in which the free end 7 is along the action surface 10, and the upper rotation is allowed and the lower rotation is restricted. As can be seen from the above, when the arm 2 exceeds the upper limit position (B) by rotating upward, it is not always necessary to bring it to the storage position (C), and it is rotated downward and returned to the initial position (A). You can also. In this respect, it can be said that the return operation of the arm 2 to the initial position (A) is quick and easy.

  The above device is not limited to the armrest device, but is an angle adjustment mechanism for a member that applies a load only in one direction that is required to be reset by a simple operation, for example, a fishing gear reel, a reclining seat It can be applied to various things such as angle adjustment and angle adjustment of handrails for wheelchairs and toilets.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an armrest apparatus. It is a partial side view of an armrest apparatus. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is a partial side view of an armrest apparatus. It is an expanded view which shows the relationship between a coil spring, a spring stopper, and a drum. It is an expanded view which shows the relationship between a coil spring, a spring stopper, and a drum. It is a side view of the seat of a car.

Explanation of symbols

S Seat frame r Coil spring slack 1 Backrest frame 2 Arm 3 Mounting bracket 4 Mounting bracket 5 Bolt 6 Drum 7 Free end of coil spring 8 Coil spring 9 Spring stopper 10 Working surface 11 First inclined cam 12 Top surface 13 Stop surface 14 Second inclination Cam 15 Inner cup body 16 Outer cup body 16a Resin material bifurcated portion 17 Ring 17a Ring bag portion 18 Soft foamed urethane 19 Soft covering material 20 Coil spring fixed end 21 〃 Winding portion 22 Spring stopper leg portion 23 Spring stopper substrate 24 Spring stopper fitting groove 25 Groove formed in substrate 26 Step 27 formed in substrate 27 Attached portion formed in leg

Claims (6)

The arm is held so that it cannot rotate downward and can be rotated upward during the angle adjustable range where the arm is raised by a certain angle from the initial position. In the armrest device configured to be able to rotate downward to the initial position,
The armrest device includes a drum fixed to the side surface of the seat frame, an arm that rotates around the drum, one end fixed to the arm and wound around the drum, and the other end toward the outside of the drum. A coil spring that extends and is free, and a spring stopper that is integrally held by the arm so that the movement in the inner and outer directions and the vertical direction is restricted, and the movement of the free end of the coil spring is controlled to be constant,
When the arm is within the adjustable range of angle from the initial position, the free end is along the working surface formed on the outer surface of the drum, and the coil spring is tight against the drum for the downward rotation of the arm. The rotation is disabled, the upper rotation is loosened and the rotation is enabled.
When the arm exceeds the angle adjustable range, the free end rides on the first inclined cam formed so as to gradually rise from the working surface in the upward rotation direction of the arm and is formed in parallel with the rotation direction of the arm. The coil spring is held in a certain loose state by being held by a spring stopper on the top surface of the inclined cam, allowing the arm to rotate upward and downward,
When the arm returns to the initial position, the holding by the spring stopper is released by the second inclined cam formed so that the free end gradually decreases in the downward rotation direction of the arm from the top surface of the first inclined cam to the working surface. An armrest device that is pulled down to a working surface.   The spring stopper is formed with a groove through which the free end of the coil spring is inserted so as to be rotatable in the rotation direction of the arm, and a step perpendicular to the groove is formed. The free end is held by the spring stopper, and the free end is the first inclined cam. The armrest device according to claim 1, wherein the coil spring is pushed from the groove to the step to maintain a constant loose state, and the release of the free end is pulled back from the step to the groove by the second inclined cam. .   3. The armrest device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a stop surface for restricting the progression of the free end is formed at a location on the tip of the top surface corresponding to the arm storage position.   The free end of the coil spring is once curved in the large diameter direction and extends linearly in a range smaller than the winding diameter toward the center, and this straight line portion is along the outer surface of the drum. The armrest apparatus in any one of Claims 1-3.   From the rectangular inner cup body that the arm is fitted to the inner side of the drum with the rear end portion being externally fitted, and the outer cup body that is fitted to the inner cup body with the rear end portion fitted to the outer side of the drum. The armrest device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.   The armrest device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the outer periphery of the arm is covered with a soft coating material with soft urethane foam interposed therebetween.