Cover supported on a support

• US 7,077,468 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seeber AG & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Seeber AG & Company KG
• Inventors: Maierholzner, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US10/668,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20040108740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 297/188.14, 297/188.19, 297/411.21, 297/411.35, 296/37.8, 296/97.11, 224/275, 224/539, 220/345.3, 220/345.4, 220/348, 220/351
• US Class Current: 297/188.19
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/753 movable to an inoperative position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/773 Longitudinal adjustment

Abstract

A cover is supported on a support, particularly a cover that is arranged pivotably on a support. The cover is characterised by a support member and a covering, that may be moved towards one another in a first spatial direction and are positively engaged with one another in the other spatial directions, wherein the support member and the covering may be arrested with respect to one another in at least one shifted position by a force that is exerted in the direction of one of the other two spatial directions.

Claims

1. An armrest comprising:

an elongated support member pivotable at one end thereof by a hinge with respect to a support;

an armrest cover member slidable longitudinally on said support member, said support member having a surface turned toward said armrest cover member and said armrest cover member having a surface juxtaposed with the surface of said support member;

at least one elastic element on one of said members bearing on the other of said member to separate said surfaces from one another and allow longitudinal relative displacement of said members, said armrest cover member being loadable by an arm of a user to compress said elastic element and press said surfaces against each other, thereby locking said armrest cover member relative to said support member in any relative displacement positions of said members permitted by said longitudinal relative displacement.

2. The armrest defined in claim 1 wherein the elastic element is provided with a pressure spring mounted on a carrier plate located on said support member.

3. The armrest defined in claim 2 wherein said carrier plate has a multiplicity of holes in an array extending in a longitudinal direction and accommodating respective pressure springs each forming an elastic element bearing on said armrest cover member.

4. The armrest defined in claim 3 wherein each of said springs has a cap bearing upon said armrest cover member.

5. The armrest defined in claim 4 wherein at least one of said surfaces has a strip exerting strong static friction on the other of said surfaces to lock said surfaces together upon the application of a load to said armrest cover member.

6. The armrest defined in claim 5 wherein said strip has a toothed or ridged configuration.

7. The armrest defined in claim 6 wherein said other surface is provided with a strip with strong static friction juxtaposed with the first mentioned strip.

8. The armrest defined in claim 7 wherein said other strip has a toothed or ridged arrangement engaging the toothed or ridged arrangement of the first mentioned strip.

9. The armrest defined in claim 1 wherein a brake is provided between said support member and said armrest cover member to slow sliding movement of said armrest cover member.

10. The armrest defined in claim 9 wherein said brake is a silicone brake.

11. The armrest defined in claim 10 wherein said brake is secured to a carrier plate on said support member and has a crown gear engaging a longitudinally extending array of teeth in a channel formed on said cover member.