Vehicle armrest with cup holder
AssigneeB/E Aerospace, Inc.
InventorsJohn E. Green, Thomas C. Crumpler, Matthew T. Greninger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An armrest with cup holder for a vehicle seat that includes an elongate armrest can of the armrest adapted to be carried by the seat. An elongate storage area is formed in the armrest can, and the cup holder is mounted for movement along a longitudinal axis of the armrest between a stowed position within the storage area of the armrest can and a deployed position forward of and to the exterior of the armrest. When stowed, the cup holder is positioned fully within the armrest can. The tray table of the seat can therefore be used for purposes other than supporting a beverage container, and can be used when the tray table is stowed.
Claims10
An armrest assembly, comprising:
- an elongate armrest can adapted to mount to a seat, the elongate armrest can having an open top and an elongate slot formed in a forward end;
- an elongate storage area formed within the elongate armrest can accessible through the open top;
- a padded cover removably attached to the elongate armrest can closing the open top,
- a cup holder assembly disposed within the elongate storage area, the cup holder assembly comprising a deployable cup holder mounted for movement along a longitudinal axis of the elongate armrest can between a stowed position within the elongate storage area and a deployed position through the elongate slot and forward of the forward end, the cup holder assembly including a bracket carrying a rail disposed within the elongate storage area and the rail slidably receiving a carriage mounted to a first arm of the deployable cup holder, and
- a latch assembly mounted to the bracket at one end of the rail opposite the elongate slot, the latch assembly including a spring engaging the carriage to bias the deployable cup holder toward the deployed position and a magnet magnetically attracted to the carriage to retain the cup holder against the opposite bias of the spring.
An armrest assembly for a vehicle seat, comprising
- an elongate armrest can having sidewalls, a bottom, an open top, a forward end, and an elongate horizontal slot formed in the forward end;
- a padded cover removably attached to a top of the elongate armrest can;
- an elongate storage area formed within the elongate armrest can and open to the open top and the elongate horizontal slot;
- a cup holder assembly including a cup holder mounted for movement along a longitudinal axis of the elongate armrest can between a stowed position within the elongate storage area and a deployed position through the elongate horizontal slot and forward of the forward end, the cup holder including a stationary arm fixed in orientation to the longitudinal axis of the elongate armrest can and a pivot arm mounted for lateral movement relative to the stationary arm;
- a bracket disposed in the elongate storage are mounted to one of the sidewalls;
- a rail attached to the bracket;
- a carriage slidable along the rail to move the cup holder assembly between the stowed position and the deployed position;
- and
- a latch assembly attached to bracket at one end of the rail opposite the elongate slot, the latch assembly including a spring engaging the carriage to bias the cup holder toward the deployed position and a magnet magnetically attracted to the carriage to retain the cup holder against the opposite bias of the spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.