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US 2016/0096454 A1Published application
Differential lateral stiffness armrest
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorRaj S. Roychoudhury
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automobile armrest is described. The armrest allows lateral movement in an outboard direction while resisting inboard movement. The armrest facilitates occupant egress and mitigates injury in a collision. Lateral outboard movement of the armrest is non-destructive and the armrest returns to a standard position upon removal of the outboard force.
Claims11
A vehicle armrest assembly, comprising:
- an armrest defining a mounting recess on an outboard side of the armrest;
- a spring positioned in the mounting recess;
- and
- a mounting pin configured to affix the armrest and spring to a seat back through the mounting recess, and wherein the armrest is adapted to respond to an outboard force by non-destructively moving outward from a standard position and return to the standard position upon removal of the force.
1 more element
A method of supporting a pivotable armrest from a seat back in a vehicle, comprising:
- providing an armrest body with a mounting recess;
- inserting a spring and mounting pin into the mounting recess;
- fastening the mounting pin to the seat back;
- whereby an outboard force on the armrest body compresses the spring, non-destructively angling the armrest body outward, from a standard position, and returning the armrest to the standard position upon removal of the force.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.