Adjustable armrest with adjustable cupholder
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an armrest having first and second surfaces and wherein;
(1) the first surface is suitable to support at least a portion of an associated occupant'"'"'s arm; and
, (2) the second surface is suitable to support at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso;
a cupholder supported to the armrest and having a cup receiving opening that extends to the first surface of the armrest, wherein the cupholder comprises a first relative upper wall and a second relative lower wall that is movable and substantially coaxial with respect to the first wall to change the depth of the cupholder; and
,wherein the armrest is adjustable between;
(1) a first position wherein;
(a) the cup receiving opening is accessible to receive an associated cup;
(b) the cupholder has a first depth; and
(c) the first relative upper wall is closer to the first surface than the second relative lower wall; and
, (2) a second position wherein;
(a) the second surface is accessible to support the at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso;
(b) the cup receiving opening is not accessible; and
, (c) the cupholder reduces to a second depth that is less than the first depth when a compression force is applied to the second surface by the associated occupant'"'"'s torso.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An armrest may be adjustable between a down position where a cupholder is accessible to hold a cup and an upright position where the cupholder can be used to cushion an occupant that is supported to it.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an armrest having first and second surfaces and wherein;
(1) the first surface is suitable to support at least a portion of an associated occupant'"'"'s arm; and
, (2) the second surface is suitable to support at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso;a cupholder supported to the armrest and having a cup receiving opening that extends to the first surface of the armrest, wherein the cupholder comprises a first relative upper wall and a second relative lower wall that is movable and substantially coaxial with respect to the first wall to change the depth of the cupholder; and
,wherein the armrest is adjustable between;
(1) a first position wherein;
(a) the cup receiving opening is accessible to receive an associated cup;
(b) the cupholder has a first depth; and
(c) the first relative upper wall is closer to the first surface than the second relative lower wall; and
, (2) a second position wherein;
(a) the second surface is accessible to support the at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso;
(b) the cup receiving opening is not accessible; and
, (c) the cupholder reduces to a second depth that is less than the first depth when a compression force is applied to the second surface by the associated occupant'"'"'s torso. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus comprising:
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an armrest having first and second surfaces and wherein;
(1) the first surface is suitable to support at least a portion of an associated occupant'"'"'s arm; and
, (2) the second surface is suitable to support at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso; anda cupholder supported to the armrest and having a cup receiving opening that extends to the first surface of the armrest, wherein the cupholder comprises a first relative upper wall and a second relative lower wall that is movable with respect to the first wall to change the depth of the cupholder; wherein the armrest is adjustable between;
(1) a first position wherein;
(a) the cup receiving opening is accessible to receive an associated cup; and
, (b) the cupholder has a first depth; and
, (2) a second position wherein;
(a) the second surface is accessible to support the at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso;
(b) the cup receiving opening is not accessible; and
, (c) the cupholder reduces to a second depth that is less than the first depth when a compression force is applied to the second surface by the associated occupants torso;wherein the first relative upper wall and the second relative lower wall are substantially coaxial and overlap at least partially in a direction perpendicular to the coaxial axis; and wherein at least a portion of the first relative upper wall and at least a portion of the second relative lower wall face the associated cup that is received in the cup receiving opening when the armrest is in the first position.
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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an armrest having first and second surfaces and wherein;
(1) the first surface is suitable to support at least a portion of an associated occupant'"'"'s arm; and
, (2) the second surface is suitable to support at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso; anda cupholder supported to the armrest and having a cup receiving opening that extends to the first surface of the armrest, wherein the cupholder comprises a first relative upper wall and a second relative lower wall that is movable with respect to the first wall to change the depth of the cupholder; wherein the armrest is adjustable between;
(1) a first position wherein;
(a) the cup receiving opening is accessible to receive an associated cup; and
, (b) the cupholder has a first depth; and
, (2) a second position wherein;
(a) the second surface is accessible to support the at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso;
(b) the cup receiving opening is not accessible; and
, (c) the cupholder reduces to a second depth that is less than the first depth when the at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso is supported to the second surface and consequently a compression force is applied to the second surface;wherein the first wall comprises a first engagement portion and the second wall comprises a second engagement portion; wherein the first and second engagement portions engage each other when the cupholder has the first depth; and
,wherein the first and second engagement portions are disengaged from each other when the cupholder has the second depth.
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10. A method comprising the steps of:
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(A) providing an armrest having first and second surfaces and wherein;
(1) the first surface is suitable to support at least a portion of an associated occupant'"'"'s arm; and
, (2) the second surface is suitable to support at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso;(B) providing a cupholder supported to the armrest and having a cup receiving opening that extends to the first surface of the armrest and wherein the cupholder comprises a first relative upper wall and a second relative lower wall that is movable and substantially coaxial with respect to the first wall; (C) providing the armrest in a first position where (1) the cup receiving opening is accessible to receive an associated cup, (2) the first relative upper wall is closer to the first surface than the second relative lower wall, and (3) the cupholder has a first depth; (D) adjusting the armrest into a second position where the second surface is accessible and the cup receiving opening is not accessible; and
,(E) supporting the at least a portion of the occupant'"'"'s torso to the second surface of the armrest and;
(1) applying a compression force onto the second surface; and
, (2) moving the second wall with respect to the first wall to reduce the depth of the cupholder to a second depth that is less than the first depth. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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an automotive seat assembly comprising; (1) a seat base that is mountable to an associated automobile; and
,(2) a seatback that;
(a) is operatively connected to the seat base;
(b) has a cavity; and
, (c) has an occupant receiving surface;an armrest comprising; (1) first and second surfaces; (2) wherein the first and second surfaces are on opposite sides of the armrest; (3) wherein the first surface is suitable to support at least a portion of an associated occupant'"'"'s arm; (4) wherein the second surface is suitable to support at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso; and
,(5) an attachment portion that is pivotally attached to the seat assembly; a cupholder supported to the armrest and comprising; (1) a cup receiving opening that extends to the first surface of the armrest; (2) a first relative upper wall; and
,(3) a second relative lower wall that is movable and substantially coaxial with respect to the first wall to change the depth of the cupholder; and
,wherein the armrest is pivotal between; (1) a first position wherein;
(a) the cup receiving opening is accessible to receive an associated cup;
(b) the cupholder has a first depth; and
(c) the first relative upper wall is closer to the first surface than the second relative lower wall; and
,(2) a second position wherein;
(a) at least a portion of the armrest is received in the cavity in the seatback;
(b) the second surface of the armrest defines at least a portion of the occupant receiving surface of the seatback and is accessible to support the at least a portion of the associated occupant'"'"'s torso; and
, (c) the cupholder reduces to a second depth that is less than the first depth when a compression force is applied to the second surface by the associated occupants torso. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification