WO2013091953A1

WO2013091953A1 - Single-part covered light-weight armrest for vehicle interiors

Info

Publication number: WO2013091953A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/071127
Authority: WO
Inventors: Manfred Winklbauer
Original assignee: Lisa Dräxlmaier GmbH
Priority date: 2011-12-23
Filing date: 2012-10-25
Publication date: 2013-06-27
Also published as: DE102011089811A1

Abstract

Armrest for a vehicle interior, said armrest having a soft component (10) and a dimensionally stable support (1) which is connected thereto and has a lower surface (5) and reinforcement ribs (2) that are integrally connected to said reinforcement ribs, protrude towards the soft component (10) and are in direct contact therewith.

Description

ONE-PIECE LAMINATED LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGNS FOR

FAHRZEUGIKNENRÄÜME

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a Armauf would lie for a

Vehicle interior _. especially for a center console,

STRENGTH OF THE TECHNIQUE

Conventional armrests are commonly used

multi-part carrier part au, consisting of about one

Stiffening and a cover that is in the

Compact injection molding process can be produced. The upper stiffener is provided with a foam pad and a cover, creating a visually appealing padding for the resting arm. The stiffener and the cover are ^' connected together via various joining methods, such as welding, clipping, screwing or gluing.

Such armrest is in DE 27 57 288 AI

described. The armrest has a lower part and a mitteis Klipselementen mounted on lid, which together form a support member. In the interior of the support part stiffening ribs are formed. The support member is provided with a cover, wherein the gap between the support member and the cover with a plastic foam

is foamed.

Due to the two-part or multi-part structure of the support part fall not only high material costs, but also high

Production costs, by additional

Locking mechanisms, a complex assembly work for connecting the parts and possibly other measures are conditional. In addition, such a structure has a high weight. at Welding of the parts results in high investment costs for the welding machine. When connecting with

Screws or clips are not just additional

Mounting costs, but it can be between the two

Components come to creaking noises. When verklipsung can also tool technical reasons the

Stiffening ribs are not set optimally. In the case of a connection by means of screws, these are on the

See bottom and it creates additional weight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an armrest that is lightweight and inexpensive to produce.

The problem is solved with a Ärmaufläge according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments follow from the

Subclaims and the description of the invention, as well as from the description of the preferred Ausfü approximate forms and

Examples.

According to the invention the Ärmaufläge a soft component, such as a Kuns foam material, and an associated dimensionally stable carrier. The carrier has a flat lower part, which is referred to as a lower surface, and with this integrally connected stiffening ribs, which protrude in the installed state of the Ärmaufläge from the lower surface upwards. Preferably, the lower surface of the carrier is closed flat. The soft component, which is a cushioning for the arm to be placed, is in direct contact with the stiffening ribs, with any adhesive to be provided therebetween, of course, being included herein. Rather, it depends on it, on a flat plastic cover, as a support for the

Soft component dien, erfindungsgemäE is omitted. The soft component can be carried out, for example, as cut foam or molded foam. The stability of the design is primarily produced by the stiffening ribs. These were calculated, for example, using an FEM methodology and with regard to the

Optimized weight. The stiffening ribs project upwards and, unlike the described prior art, are not covered with a plastic cover. Rather, they are covered directly by the soft component. The thickness of the soft component is selected so as to prevent the stiffening ribs from being drawn off on the visible side of the soft component.

With the above solution becomes a high degree

System integration, which requires fewer parts for the armrest. This entails lower investment costs for tools and assembly devices. In addition, the assembly time is reduced, By avoiding double-walled, less mounting means, such as screws, etc., the overall system is easier.

In this regard, voids between the ribs are thus preferably empty. Due to the simple overall structure of

Armrests may include an optional pivotal support for tilting or pivoting the armrests and an optional latch for locking the armrest in one or more

End positions are matched more accurately and with less tolerance.

If it is said that the carrier has a "lower" surface and the stiffening ribs protrude "up", then these locations refer to the installation state of the armrest, namely to the state in which the Armaufläge is in its position of use , Even when not installed, the designations "top" and "bottom" are uniquely determined by the position of the soft component as upholstery. Preferably, the stiffening ribs have a distance of less than 10mm and are each at least 2mm, more preferably between 4 and 6mm, wide (thus the

Wands meant the ribs). This will be a

Alasigned ompromiss between lightweight construction and

Rigidity of the armrest achieved. In addition, it has been found that with the above parameters, a good support for the soft component is achieved, without the ribs on the visible side, i. the passenger facing side, the soft component sign off.

Preferably, the soft component has a thickness of

at least 10mm in order to be sufficiently comfortable on the one hand and on the other a visual and / or haptic

Avoid marking the stiffening ribs.

Preferably, a reference is provided on the upper side of the soft component. The cover may be adhered to the soft component, although this is not always necessary. Here, the reference encloses in an advantageous

Embodiment both at least the top and sides of the soft component and at least a part of the

Carrier. The cover can be made of a suitable textii, leather, synthetic leather or a leather-like material. The cover not only serves to protect the soft component, but usually fits into the surface finish of the vehicle interior.

Preferably, the cover is at least partially bent at its edges and fixed on the underside of the lower surface of the carrier. The cover does not completely enclose the armrest, but on the underside of the armrest

Carrier, bent over at the edges and fastened there, the lightweight construction of the armrest is further supported.

Preferably, a Umbugabaeckung of a flexible plastic, etia a thermoplastic elastomer, is provided, which at least partially applies to the cover and this at least partially covered or hidden, so that a visually appealing image is achieved by the edges of the cover are hidden by the Umbugabdeckung. Not only the cover of the Umbugs Ve but possibly also of fasteners can be realized on such a Umbugabdeckung. The Umbugabdeckung can be made for example by TPE injection molding and is thus smaller and lighter than previous covers. The

Umbugabdeckung can also be used as Extrudierformteil

getting produced. The Umbugabdeckung is preferably during assembly in a designated for this purpose in the carrier hat

introduced, preferably plugged and / or clamped, whereby the assembly time can be shortened and the formation of creaking noises can be reduced.

Alternatively, the Umbugabdeckung according to a

Two-component casting process together with the carrier

{Forced removal). By an elastic configuration of the Umbugabdeckung the cover can be inserted later in this case. This production is particularly cost effective and time-saving.

Since the Umbugabdeckung preferably made of a flexible

Material exists, it can create during the installation gap-free to the cover. The Umbugabdeckung can at

Appropriate execution take a damping function for a swivel armrest by replacing the usually provided rubber buffers that come when swiveling the armrest in the use position for use.

Preferably, a pivot bearing and / or the receptacle for a closure for locking the armrest are integrated in one or more adjustment positions in the carrier, whereby tolerances between these and / or other

Function elements are reduced. Preferably, the lower surface of the carrier

shaped three-dimensional, in such a way that an additional stiffening effect is generated in the direction of Hauptbelastungslmien. For example, the bottom surface may be corrugated or reinforced along the main load lines. If so from the lower surface or a flat lower portion of the carrier is mentioned, then it is not

necessarily meant a flat surface, although a plane, i. curvature-free lower surface is possible.

Preferably, the carrier has one or more cavities in or in which there is a pressurized gas for stiffening the armrest. This will be the

Lightweight construction of the armrest while improving the rigidity promoted.

Preferably, the armrest is pivotally provided via a pivot bearing, which is preferably attached to the carrier, as already mentioned above. In this case, the special lightweight construction of the armrest allows the

Use of a dead center spring as a swivel aid and

Locking. By Totpunktfeder is about a storage position and a use position of the armrest

Are defined. Of course, it is possible additionally or alternatively conventional locking means and / or

Closures for defining and locking the armrest in two or more adjustment positions or states

provided.

In terms of making a cost-effective

Armrest in lightweight construction, it is advantageous if the carrier by means of thermoplastic foam casting (TSG). In this way, the ribs can be made particularly wide and the connection of the ribs is very stable. However, it is also conceivable to manufacture the carrier by means of a

Compact injection molding process. The invention is preferably used as an armrest in a vehicle interior application, more preferably as an armrest for a center console.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows the section through an armrest having a carrier and a soft component applied thereto.

Fig. 2 shows schematically a lightweight armrest with

Totpunktfede.

Fig. 3 shows the section through a Leichtbauarmauflage with gas pressure channel.

WAYS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In Fig. 1, the cross section is shown by an armrest having a carrier 1, a soft component 10 and a reference 20.

The carrier 1 has a lower area 5, which is referred to as the lower surface. The lower surface 5 may be flat or so wavy for additional reinforcement that the stiffening effect in the direction of

Main load lines is generated, as shown in Fig. 1. On top of the lower surface 5 of the

Support 1 Verstei ungsrippen 2 are provided which extend in the present example substantially parallel to each other and vertically upwards.

On de stiffening ribs 2 and in contact therewith is the soft component 10, which extends at the front of the armrest, ie on the left side of Fig. 1, down. In this example, the armrest is padded up and down. Of course they are other configurations conceivable. For example, the

Soft component 10 alternatively or additionally extend on other sides down, or on a lateral padding can be dispensed with entirely. Rather, it is important that the soft component 10 is in direct contact with the ribs 2, whereby an optionally provided therebetween adhesive should be included.

The carrier 1 also has a fastening part 4 which is located at the front end of the carrier 1. Preferably, the soft component 10 is placed on top of the

Mounting part 4 glued. In the present example, the fastening part 4 is formed integrally with the rest of the carrier 1.

The cover 20 covers the soft component 10 from the visible side. At the edges of the cover 20 is bent and on the back of the carrier 1, more precisely on the back of the

Fastening part 4, attached. The cover 20 may be bonded to the soft component 10, but need not.

In the carrier 1, a groove 3 is provided, which in the Pig. 1 is shown only as a two-dimensional depression. The groove 3 preferably extends along the lower surface 5 of the carrier 1. In the groove 3 is a Umbugabdeckung 30, for example, from a flexible thermoplastic

Elastomer (TPE) is made, plugged. If the

Arm support is pivotally provided, the Umbugabdeckung 30 may have a damping function in addition to a fixing function and / or covering function, whereby they. the

Replacing rubber buffer, which are usually provided for damping the Armaufläge when raising and / or folding down.

In Fig. 2, the armrest is shown in two positions, wherein the representation of details with respect to the carrier 1, the soft component 10 and the reference 20 has been omitted. Rather, in Fig. 2, the operation of a 3 tiltable armrest in lightweight design with dead center 40 are shown. The armrest has an arm 60 (or a plurality of arms) connected to the carrier 1. The arm 60 may be an integral extension of the carrier 1

be educated. The arm 60 has a pivot bearing 50 to which the Armau is tiltable position. The position of the armrest shown with PI is the. Use situation in which the passenger can put his arm on the armrest. By tilting the armrest in the position P2, the Armaufl ge is placed in a stowage position, for example, to allow access to a storage compartment. Due to the lightweight construction of the

Armrest and thereby usable Totpunktfeder 40, which is connected to the arm 60 and a stationary relative to Armauf stationary part of the vehicle, can on an additional closure or a detent for the definition and

Veri'astung be waived in one or more positions. Nevertheless, it is of course possible

additionally or alternatively closure mechanisms

to provide, if desired. It should be noted that several groups of arm 60 and

Dead center spring 40 may be provided, if so

It may be desirable for reasons of appearance or stability.

FIG. 3 shows a section comparable to FIG. 1 according to an embodiment in which, in addition to FIGS

Characteristics of the armrest shown in FIG. 1 a

Gas pressure channel 6 is provided. The gas pressure channel 6 is formed by a closed cavity in the carrier 1, in which there is a pressurized gas, whereby the carrier 1 is stiffened without substantial weight gain. Form in the present embodiment, the gas pressure channel 6 is in the front region of the armrest and may be at least partially formed circumferentially. Since already the construction of the channel 6 provides additional reinforcement of the Armaufläge, one is under pressure

Stagnant gas in the channel is not essential.

Claims

1. Armrest for one

the

Armrest a soft component (10) and a so

Having dimensionally stable support (1) having a lower surface (5) and integrally connected thereto, the soft component (10) protruding and standing directly in contact with this Verst Verstungsrippen (2).

2. Armrest according to claim 1, characterized in that the stiffening ribs (2) have a distance of less than 10 mm and in each case at least 2 mm, preferably between 4 and 6 mm, are wide.

3. Armrest according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the soft component (10) has a thickness of at least 10 mm.

4. Armrest according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the top of the

Soft component (10) a reference (20) is provided.

5. Armrest according to claim 4, characterized in that the cover (20) at least partially bent over edges and on the underside of the lower surface (5) of the carrier (1) is fixed.

6. Armrest according to claim 5, characterized in that a Umbugabdeckung (30) made of a flexible plastic is provided, which at least partially applies to the cover (20) and this at least partially hidden.

7. Armrest according to claim 5, characterized in that the Umbugabdeckung (30) is made of a thermoplastic elastomer.

8. Armrest according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower surface (5) of the

Support (1) is three-dimensionally shaped to have an additional stiffening shape in the direction of the main load lines,

9. Armrest according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier (1) is additionally stiffened by an internal gas pressure.

10. armrest according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the armrest is pivotally provided, wherein by means of a dead center (40) a stowage position and a use position is defined.

11. arm pad according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Weichkom onente (10) on the

Stiffening ribs (2) is glued.

12. armrest according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (1) is a Thernop1as foam 1.