This application claims the benefit of Italian Patent Application Number T02004A 000815, filed on Nov. 19, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an armrest assembly for a vehicle, e.g. bus, seat.
An armrest assembly comprises a fastening plate connected laterally to a bus seat; and a rotary armrest hinged to the fastening plate and movable between a work position, in which the armrest supports the passenger's arm, and a collapsed position, in which the armrest is rotated towards a seat portion of the seat to allow the passenger to exit easily.
2. Description of the Related Art
Armrest assemblies are normally formed in one piece and specially designed for a given bus interior, so that each new interior design calls for redesigning and high-cost retooling of new production lines. For the same reason, replacement of any damaged parts is relatively expensive.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an armrest assembly designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which is cheap and easy to produce.
According to the present invention, there is provided an armrest assembly as claimed in attached claims.
A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Number 1 in
The armrest assembly also comprises a lateral cover plate 7 fitted removably to plate 2 and housing a control block 8 for adjusting the tilt of a backrest 9 of seat 3.
More specifically (
First curved portion 10 projects with respect to longitudinal edge 13, and has two holes 15 for connection to hinge device 4; and second curved portion 11 defines, with central reinforcing plate 12, a recess 16 open on the opposite side to longitudinal edge 13 and housing a bracket portion 17 projecting from cover plate 7 in a direction substantially parallel to longitudinal edge 13 and resting on second curved portion 11, on the opposite side of plate 2 to cover plate 7 (
In actual use, bracket portion 17 projects with respect to plate 2, presses laterally against seat portion 14, and is supported by second curved portion 11 to retain an upholstery fabric of seat 3.
Hinge device 4 connected to first curved portion 10 comprises a fixed, cup-shaped casing 18 connected to plate 2; and a supporting disk 19 rotating about axis A and connected to armrest 5, which comprises a straight hollow arm 20 made of extruded aluminium, having a rectangular internal cross section and supporting end portion 6, and comprises a supporting member 21 connected transversely to an end portion 22 of arm 20 opposite to end portion 6.
Disk 19 comprises a radial projection 23 having a rectangular cross section shaped to fit inside end portion 6 (
Disk 19 is connected to cup-shaped casing 18 by a known cam mechanism movable between a work position (
At the opposite end of arm 20, supporting member 21 comprises a bottom shell 27 having an opening 28 housing end portion 22; and a top supporting shell 29 connected to opposite ends of bottom shell 27 by a joint 30 at one end and by a screw at the opposite end.
The advantages of the armrest assembly according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description.
In particular, being connected removably, preferably using screws, hinge device 4, arm 20, supporting member 21, and plate 2 can be replaced independently to reconfigure and achieve greater versatility of the assembly. For example, the length of armrest 5 may be changed by simply changing arm 20, or, in the event of damage, supporting member 21 may be changed, while preserving the other component parts of armrest assembly 1.
Using a metal extrusion and a form fit with disk 19 provides for achieving a high degree of strength cheaply and easily.
Moreover, using a metal extrusion, different looks can be achieved easily to better adapt to different vehicle interiors.
The joint connecting top and bottom shells 29, 27 of supporting member 21 provides for easy, low-cost assembly and maintenance.
Clearly, changes may be made to the assembly as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the accompanying Claims.
In particular (
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
TO2004A0815 | Nov 2004 | IT | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
RE19721 | Genung | Oct 1935 | E |
2249849 | Owler | Jul 1941 | A |
3397912 | Bush | Aug 1968 | A |
3886611 | Lammy et al. | Jun 1975 | A |
4466664 | Kondou | Aug 1984 | A |
4807935 | King | Feb 1989 | A |
5171063 | Stidd | Dec 1992 | A |
5597209 | Bart et al. | Jan 1997 | A |
6168236 | Chen | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6203101 | Chou et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
7063387 | Herault | Jun 2006 | B2 |
20040005425 | Gaylord et al. | Jan 2004 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20060119160 A1 | Jun 2006 | US |