Granted Patent B2

US 7,384,092 · App. 11/535,610 · Granted Jun 10, 2008

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. An armrest assembly for a vehicle including a body with a door having an inner panel, the door being slidable with respect to the body and selectively openable with respect to the body by a selectively actuatable door handle assembly operable to open the door, the armrest assembly comprising:

a selectively retractable armrest member movable between a deployed position and a retracted position;

a rod member sufficiently configured to pivotably mount said selectively retractable armrest member with respect to the inner panel; and

a lock plate member mounted directly to said rod member;

wherein the door handle assembly is operable to enable said selectively retractable armrest member to move from said deployed position to said retracted position when the door handle is actuated to provide clearance between the door and the body as the door opens.

2. The armrest assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a locking pin operable to selectively engage said locking plate member locking pin to retain said selectively retractable armrest member in said deployed position.

3. The armrest assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one torsion spring operable to bias said selectively retractable armrest member into said retracted position.

4. The armrest assembly of claim 2 , wherein said locking pin is operatively connected to the selectively actuatable door handle assembly through one of a cable and linkage.

5. The armrest assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle further includes an interior trim panel mounted with respect to the inner panel, and wherein the armrest assembly includes an armrest housing mounted with respect to the interior trim panel, wherein the armrest housing is sufficiently configured to receive at least a portion of said armrest member when said armrest member is in said retracted position.

6. A vehicle comprising:

a body;

a door slidably mounted and selectively openable with respect to said body;

an inner panel mounted with respect to said door;

a door handle assembly selectively actuatable to selectively open said door; and

an armrest assembly including a selectively retractable armrest member movable between a deployed position and a retracted position; a rod member sufficiently configured to pivotably mount said selectively retractable armrest member with respect to said inner panel; a lock plate member mounted directly to said rod member; and a locking pin operable to selectively engage said locking plate member to retain said selectively retractable armrest member in said deployed position;

wherein said door handle assembly is operable to enable said selectively retractable armrest member to move from said deployed position to said retracted position when said door handle assembly is actuated to open said door.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein said lock plate member defines one of a hollow and a hole that is sufficiently configured to selectively receive at least a portion of said locking pin to retain said selectively retractable armrest member in said deployed position.

8. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein said armrest assembly further includes at least one torsion spring operable to bias said selectively retractable armrest member into said retracted position.

9. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein said locking pin is operatively connected to said selectively actuatable door handle assembly through one of a cable and linkage.

10. The vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising:

an interior trim panel mounted with respect to said inner panel;

wherein said armrest assembly includes an armrest housing mounted with respect to said interior trim panel; and

wherein said armrest housing is sufficiently configured to receive said armrest member when said armrest member is in said retracted position.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a body;

a door slidably mounted and selectively openable with respect to said body;

an inner panel mounted with respect to said door;

a door handle assembly selectively actuatable to selectively open said door;

an armrest assembly including:

a selectively retractable armrest member pivotably mounted with respect to said inner panel and movable between a deployed position and a retracted position;

a rod member sufficiently configured to pivotably mount said selectively retractable armrest member with respect to said inner panel;

a locking plate member mounted with respect to said rod member for unitary rotation therewith;

a locking pin operable to selectively engage said locking plate to retain said selectively retractable armrest member in said deployed position; and

wherein said door handle assembly is operable to enable said selectively retractable armrest member to move from said deployed position to said retracted position when said door handle assembly is actuated to open said door.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein said armrest assembly further includes at least one torsion spring operable to bias said selectively retractable armrest member into said retracted position.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein said locking pin is operatively connected to said door handle assembly through one of a cable and linkage.

14. The vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising:

an interior trim panel mounted with respect to said inner panel;

wherein said armrest assembly includes an armrest housing mounted with respect to said interior trim panel; and

wherein said armrest housing is sufficiently configured to receive said armrest member when said armrest member is in said retracted position.

15. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein said at least one torsion spring is coaxially disposed with respect to said rod member.

16. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein said armrest member includes a tab portion extending therefrom and operable to engage said interior trim panel to limit the movement of said armrest member.

17. The armrest assembly of claim 2 , wherein said locking pin is operatively connected to the selectively actuatable door handle assembly through a cable.

18. The armrest assembly of claim 2 , wherein said lock plate member defines one of a hollow and a hole that is sufficiently configured to selectively receive at least a portion of said locking pin to retain said selectively retractable armrest member in said deployed position.

19. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein said locking pin is operatively connected to said door handle assembly through a cable.

20. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein said locking plate member defines one of a hollow and a hole that is sufficiently configured to selectively receive at least a portion of said locking pin to thereby retain said selectively retractable armrest member in said deployed position.

Assignments (12)