Claims:We Claim:
1. An armrest assembly 100 for a vehicle interior, the armrest assembly 100 comprising:
an armrest support having a upper portion 200 and a lower portion 300, each portion having a stowable holding member 210 and 310, the stowable holding member 210, 310 being capable of configuring a tabletop beside the armrest support for holding articles when the stowable holding member 210, 310 is in a deployed position;
wherein the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 are configured to vary the vertical distance in-between..

2. The armrest assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the armrest support, which is arranged in a non-use position in a seat pan area 5002 or a backrest area 5001 of a seat 500 and is extendable or pivotable to a use position.

3. The armrest assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein a driving part 150 is connectable with the upper portion 200 and / or lower portion 300 by a connecting shaft 152, the upper portion 200 and / or lower portion 300 is movable when the connecting shaft 152 is engaged with the upper portion 200 and / or lower portion 300 of the arm support.

4. The armrest assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving part 150 comprises a motor 160, a rotating shaft 85, the rotation of the motor 160 enables the movement of the rotating shaft 85, and a nut member 75 provided to move in an upper side and a lower side direction by rotation of the rotating shaft 85.

5. The armrest assembly 100 as claimed in claim 3, wherein the connecting shaft 152 is provided to move the upper portion 200 and/or lower portion 300 upper side and a lower side direction along with the nut member 75 to vary the vertical distance in-between the upper portion 200 and lower portion 300 for configuring the tabletop in the predefined height.

6. The armrest assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 is connected such that the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 moves relatively along the vertical direction to a predefined height thereby facilitating each of the stowable holding members 210, 310 to configure the tabletop in the respective heights.

7. The armrest assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the stowable holding member 210, 310 is a flexible material rolled inside the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 in the stowed position and extendable sideways in the opposite direction in the deployed position to configure the tabletop for holding articles.

8. The armrest assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stowable holding member 210, 310 is pivotally extended out from the respective upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 of the armrest support.

9. The armrest assembly 100 as claimed in claim 7, wherein the stowable holding member 210, 310 includes a hook which is lockable with a respective door panel to configure the tabletop in the deployed position and rolls back to the stowed position upon unlocking the hook from the door panel.

10. The armrest assembly 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 is detachably connected by a magnetic plate or a snap-fit arranged between the periphery of the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 of the armrest support.
, Description:Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an armrest of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an armrest assembly for a vehicle interior having a table top holding member.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Armrests are a very important element in providing comfort to occupants of a vehicle. Usually, the armrests are integrated in-between the front or the rear seat of the vehicle. The armrest provides more comfort to the occupants and always perceived as a personal comfort device. Also, the vehicle interiors usually have spatial constraint as many things may be integrated into the interior panels. Most of the accessories are integrated with the instrument panel, such that an additional accessory may limit the freedom of movement of the occupants of the vehicle. Further, tray tables or tabletop configuration inside the vehicle interiors are becoming trendy for the unique feature the tabletop offers. The vehicle manufacturers are designing tray tables from centre consoles or the armrest which can be used as a holding mechanism for holding articles such as cup or book or the like.

[0003] The centre console is arranged near to the front seat, the tray tables for holding articles are generally integrated inside the centre console. This may provide comfort for the occupants as the tray is easily accessible from the centre console. But the current mechanism of tray tables inside the centre console is bulky structured and is not compact within the console.

[0004] Hence, there is a requirement of a tabletop configuration inside a vehicle interior which may overcome few or all of the drawbacks of the existing assemblies configuring the tabletop inside the vehicle interiors.

Objects of the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an armrest assembly for a vehicle interior which can accommodate a holding member to configure a tabletop for placement of articles.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide an armrest assembly for a vehicle interior, which can conceal the tabletop to prevent space constraint.

[0007] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an armrest assembly for a vehicle interior, which provides various adjustments in the tabletop configurations which can be useful for both a child seated on a child seat and an adult.

[0008] One more object of the present invention is to provide an armrest assembly with a table top holding member for a vehicle interior, which is simple in design and easy to operate.

[0009] Further object of the present invention is to provide an armrest assembly for a vehicle interior, which is robust in construction.

Summary of the invention

[0010] According to the present invention, an armrest assembly for a vehicle interior in accordance with the present invention is provided. The armrest assembly can be arranged in between a front seats or a rear seats of the vehicle. The armrest assembly may include an arm support with a upper portion and a lower portion each having a holding member arranged in a stowed position. The holding members can extend in a deployed position to configure a tabletop which can be utilized for placement of articles or to hold articles such as a coffee cup, a laptop and the like.

[0011] In an embodiment, the armrest support may be arranged in a non-use position in a seat pan area or a backrest area of a seat and is extendable or pivotable in a pivotal axis to a use position. By way of non-limiting example, the upper portion has a first holding member and the lower portion has a second holding member configuration. The first holding member configures a first tabletop and the second holing member configures a second tabletop for placement of articles.

[0012] Each of the first holding member and the second holding members are retractable, such that in a stowed position the first holding member and the second holding member may conceal inside the respective armrest portion. When the holding member is moved to a deployed position from the stowed position, each of the holding members configures a tabletop in the respective position. In the deployed position, each of the holding members configures a generally horizontal service position extending outwardly from the respective armrest portion. In the present embodiment, each of the holding members configures the tabletop or tray table in the opposite direction.

[0013] Further, each of the first armrest portion and the second armrest portion may have an opening to conceal the holding members in the stowed position. In the present embodiment, each of the holding members is a flexible material rolled inside the opening of the upper portion and the lower portion in the stowed position. These holding members are extendable sideways in the opposite direction in the deployed position to configure the tabletop for holding or placement of articles.

[0014] Further, the upper portion and the lower portion may be configured to vary the vertical distance in between for configuring the tabletop in the predefined height. Specifically, the upper portion is arranged above the lower portion and is connected to each other. In the present embodiment, the upper portion and the lower portion are connected such that the upper portion and the lower portion move relatively along the vertical direction to a predefined height thereby facilitating each of the lower portion and the upper portion to configure the tabletop in the respective heights.

[0015] Further, the armrest assembly is provided with a driving part configured on either of a portion of the backrest of the vehicle seats. The driving part enables the upper portion and / or the lower portion to move along a vertical direction to a predefined height, thereby facilitating each of the upper portion and the lower portion to configure the tabletop in the respective heights. Specifically, the driving part is connectable with the upper portion and / or lower portion by a connecting shaft. The connecting shaft is adapted to engage or disengage with the upper portion. The upper portion and / or the lower portion is movable when the connecting shaft is engaged with the upper portion and / or lower portion of the arm support.

[0016] In an embodiment, the driving part includes a motor and a rotating shaft. The rotation of the motor enables the movement of the rotating shaft, and a nut member provided to move in an upper side and a lower side direction by rotation of the rotating shaft. Further, the connecting shaft connects the upper portion and/or lower portion of the armrest support. The connecting shaft is provided to move the upper portion and/or lower portion upper side and a lower side direction along with the nut member to vary the vertical distance in-between the upper portion and lower portion for configuring the tabletop in the predefined height. More specifically, the upper portion and the lower portion is connected such that the upper portion and the lower portion moves relatively along the vertical direction to a predefined height thereby facilitating each of the holding members to configure the tabletop in the respective heights.

[0017] In another embodiment, the upper portion and the lower portion may be connected by an extendable member. The extendable member can be a telescopic arrangement arranged between the upper portion and the lower portion to adjust the height between the upper portion and the lower portion. The extendable member may have certain grooves for locking the height of the upper portion to a predefined height. Also, a release button may be configured to unlock the upper portion from the predefined height to a normal position.

[0018] Further, an intermediate portion may be configured between the upper portion and the lower portion connected by the extendable member. The intermediate portion may also be aligned horizontally to place articles thereon. In such embodiments, the upper portion may not be movable, and the lower portion and the intermediate portion can be movable relative to each other. The intermediate portion can also be used as an additional arrangement for holding and placement of articles.
[0019] In an embodiment, the upper portion and the lower portion are detachably connected by a magnetic plate, or a snap-fit arranged between the periphery of the upper portion and the lower portion of the armrest support. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to connect the upper portion and the lower portion by any other means.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] The advantages and features of the present invention will be understood better with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

[0021] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an armrest assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 illustrates another schematic representation of the armrest assembly in the varied distance with tabletop configuration in both upper portion and lower portion ;

[0023] Figure 3 illustrates a side view schematic representation of the armrest assembly with a tabletop configuration;

[0024] Figure 4 illustrates a side view schematic representation of the armrest assembly in a varied distance;

[0025] Figure 5 illustrates a side view schematic representation of the armrest assembly in a varied distance between the upper portion and the lower portion ;

[0026] Figure 6 illustrates another side view schematic representation of the armrest support movable vertically through the driving part ;

[0027] Figure 7 illustrates the driving part of the armrest assembly with the connecting shaft engaged with the upper portion ; and

[0028] Figure 8 illustrates the driving part of the armrest assembly with the connecting shaft disengages with the upper portion in accordance with the present invention;

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0029] An embodiment of this invention, illustrating its features, will now be described in detail. The words "comprising, "having, "containing," and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

[0030] The terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms “an” and “a” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

[0031] The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms.

[0032] An armrest is usually adapted to integrate with a centre console or in-between the front or the rear seat of the vehicle. The armrest provides support for the arms of an occupant and can be utilized as a multipurpose instrument for operating various mechanisms inside the vehicle interior by providing an electronic interface on the armrest. Armrests are assembled in such a way that, it is possible to configure a holder for holding articles such as a cup holder or a storage compartment for storing articles.

[0033] Referring now to figures 1 and 2, an armrest assembly 100 for a vehicle interior in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The armrest assembly 100 can be arranged in between a front seat or rear seat of the vehicle. By way of non-limiting example, the present embodiment shows the armrest assembly 100 arranged in between the front seat portion and adjacent to the central console of the vehicle interior. The armrest assembly 100 includes arm support with a upper portion 200 and a lower portion 300 each having a stowable holding member, herein after referred as a first holding member 210 and a second holding member 310. The holding members 210 and 310 can extend in a deployed position to configure a tabletop which can be utilized for placement of articles or to hold articles such as a coffee cup, a laptop and the like.

[0034] In the present embodiment as shown in figures 1 to 5, the armrest support is arranged in a non-use position in a backrest area 5001 of a seat and is pivotable on a pivotal axis 5 to a use position. In another embodiment as shown in figure 6, the armrest support is arranged in a non-use position in a seat pan area 5002 and is extendable from the seat pan area 5002 to a use position. The upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 together constitute the armrest support. Each of the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 has the stowable holding members. By way of non-limiting example, the upper portion 200 has the first holding member 210 and the lower portion 300 has the second holding member 310 configurations. The first holding member 210 configure a first tabletop and the second holding member 310 configures a second tabletop beside the armrest support for placement of articles as shown in figures 1 and 2.

[0035] Each of the first holding member 210 and the second holding members 310 are retractable, such that in the stowed position the first holding member 210 and the second holding member 310 conceals inside the respective armrest portion 200, 300. When the holding members 210, 310 are moved to a deployed position from the stowed position, each of the holding members 210, 310 configures a tabletop in the respective position. In the deployed position, each of the holding member 210, 310 configures the deployed position extending outwardly from the respective armrest portion. In the present embodiment, each of the holding members 210, 310 configures the tabletop or tray table in the opposite direction. For example, when the first holding member 210 configures a tabletop in the direction of the driver seat, the second holding member 310 configures a tabletop in the direction of the passenger seat adjacent to the driver seat as shown in figure 2.

[0036] Further, each of the first armrest portion 200 and the second armrest portion 300 may have an opening 220, 320 to conceal the holding members 210, 310 in the stowed position. In the present embodiment, each of the holding member 210, 310 is a flexible material rolled inside the opening 220, 320 of the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 in the stowed position. These holding members 210, 310 are extendable sideways in the opposite direction in the deployed position to configure the tabletop for holding or placement of articles. These flexible holding members 210, 310 may become a rigid non-wobble element in the deployed position such that the holding members 210, 310 can hold articles thereon.

[0037] In an embodiment, the opening 220, 320 may be open in both directions such that the holding member 210, 310 can be movable in both left and right direction horizontally to configure the tabletop. In an embodiment, the holding member 210, 310 is pivotally extended out from the respective upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 of the armrest support. The holding member 210, 310, has to be manually moved to the deployed position. There may be an element (not shown) to hold the holding member 210 manually, 310 to deploy the holding member 210, 310 from the stowed position. In an embodiment, the holding member 210, 310 may have a motor arrangement to deploy the holding member 210, 310 from the stowed position.

[0038] Further in an embodiment (not shown), each of the holding members 210, 310 includes a hook (not shown) which is lockable with the respective door panel to configure the tabletop in the deployed position and rolls back to the stowed position upon unlocking the hook from the door panel. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to configure the holding members 210, 310 with rigid or similar material to hold and place articles.

[0039] Referring now to figures 3, 4 and 5 the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 are configured to vary the vertical distance in between for configuring the tabletop in the predefined height. For example, if a child is sitting on achild safety seat 530 as shown in figure 2, the child can use the first holding member 210 in the upper portion 200 to configure the tabletop and an adult sitting on the passenger seat, he/she can use the second holding member 310 in the lower portion 300 to configure the tabletop. Specifically, the upper portion 200 is arranged above the lower portion 300 and is connected. Also, each of the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 are movable between two seats along a vertical direction. In tan embodiment, the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 is connected such that the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 moves relatively along the vertical direction to a predefined height thereby facilitating each of the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 to configure the tabletop in the respective heights. The vertical distance between the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 enables the occupants to use the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 as two separate armrest respectively.

[0040] Further referring to figure 5, the armrest assembly is provided with a driving part 150 configured on either of a portion of the backrest of the vehicle seats. The driving part 150 enables the upper portion 200 and / or the lower portion 300 to move along the vertical direction to a predefined height thereby facilitating each of the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 to configure the tabletop in the respective heights. The driving part 150 lifts the upper portion 200 along a guide path 162 configured on either side of the backrest of the vehicle seats as shown in figure 1. Specifically, the driving part 150 is connectable with the upper portion 200 and / or lower portion 300 by a connecting shaft152 as shown in figures 7 and 8. The connecting shaft 152 is adapted to engage or disengage with the upper portion 200. The upper portion 200 and / or the lower portion 300 is movable when the connecting shaft 152 is engaged with the upper portion 200 and / or the lower portion 300 of the arm support.

[0041] In the present embodiment, as shown in figures 3, 4 5, and 6, the driving part 150 includes a motor 160, a nut member 75 and a rotating shaft 85. The rotation of the motor 160 enables the movement of the rotating shaft 85, and the nut member 75 provided to move in an upper side and a lower side direction by rotation of the rotating shaft 85 by the motor 160. Further, the connecting shaft 152 connects the upper portion 200 and/or the lower portion 300 of the armrest support. The connecting shaft 152 is provided to move the upper portion 200 and/or the lower portion 300 towards upper side and a lower side direction along with the nut member 75 to vary the vertical distance in-between the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 for configuring the tabletop in the predefined height as shown in figure 4. More specifically, the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 is connected such that the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 moves relatively along the vertical direction to a predefined height thereby facilitating each of the holding members 210, 310 to configure the tabletop in the respective heights. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to arrange the connecting shaft to be engaged or disengaged by a same motor 160 or a new motor.

[0042] In an embodiment, the upper portion 200 has to be moved manually to configure various heights. In this embodiment, the lower portion 300 cannot be moved or lift vertically to adjust the position of the lower portion 300. In an embodiment, both the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 can be lifted vertically to configure various heights.

[0043] In an embodiment, the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 are detachably connected by a magnetic plate or a snap-fit arranged between the periphery of the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 of the armrest support. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to connect the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 300 by any other means.

[0044] Therefore the present invention is to provide the armrest assembly which can accommodate a holding member to configure a tabletop for placement of articles. The armrest assembly can conceal the tabletop to prevent space constraint. It also provides various adjustments in the tabletop configurations which can be useful for both a child seating on an isofix safety seat and an adult seating on a passenger seat. Further, the armrest assembly is simple in design and easy to operate. Also, it is robust in construction.

[0045] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.