ASSEMBLY OF A VEHICLE

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 61/695,828, entitled "FRICTIONAL SLIDING MECHANISM FOR INTERIOR ASSEMBLY OF A VEHICLE", filed August 31, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The invention relates generally to motor vehicles, and more particularly, to a frictional sliding mechanism for interior assembly of a motor vehicle.

[0003] Various systems within a motor vehicle include sliding mechanisms. For example, an armrest, a storage compartment, a cup holder, a headrest, and a sun visor may each include a sliding mechanism to facilitate adjustment. Each sliding mechanism may incorporate a variety of different moving parts. For example, a sliding mechanism may include viscous dampers, springs, and/or grease. Unfortunately, such sliding mechanisms may apply a variable amount of sliding resistance over their life cycle, and may have a finite number of available stops. For example, sliding mechanisms that include viscous devices may operate in a variable manner based on the temperature of the sliding mechanism. Therefore, an occupant may find the sliding mechanisms do not function with a consistent fluid movement. Moreover, certain viscous dampers, such as rack and pinion viscous dampers may produce unwanted noise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to a system for a motor vehicle. The system includes a first assembly having a first substrate and a rail extending outwardly from the first substrate. The system also includes a second assembly having a second substrate and a clamp extending outwardly from the second substrate. The clamp is slidably coupled to the rail and configured to apply a lateral force to the rail to dampen longitudinal motion of the second assembly relative to the first assembly.

[0005] The present invention also relates to a system for a motor vehicle having a first substrate with a rail extending outwardly therefrom. The system also includes a second substrate and a clamp fixedly coupled to the second substrate. The clamp extends outwardly from the second substrate. The clamp is slidably coupled to the rail and configured to apply a lateral force to the rail to dampen longitudinal motion of the second substrate relative to the first substrate.

[0006] The present invention further relates to an armrest assembly for a motor vehicle. The armrest assembly includes a first substrate having a rail extending outwardly therefrom and a second substrate. The armrest assembly also includes a clamp with a first arm having a first shoe and a second arm having a second shoe. The clamp is fixedly coupled to and extends outwardly from the second substrate. Moreover, the clamp is slidably coupled to the rail and configured to dampen longitudinal motion of the second substrate relative to the first substrate. The first arm is configured to apply a first force against a first lateral side of the rail. Further, the first shoe is configured to engage the first lateral side of the rail. The second arm is configured to apply a second force against a second lateral side of the rail, and the second shoe is configured to engage the second lateral side of the rail.

DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary vehicle that may include a frictional sliding mechanism.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an armrest support having a frictional sliding mechanism disposed on a bottom portion of the armrest support.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the armrest support of FIG. 2 having the movable substrate in a non-extended position relative to a fixed substrate. [0010] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the armrest support of FIG. 2 having the movable substrate in an extended position relative to a fixed substrate.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the armrest support of FIG. 2.

[0012] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a frictional sliding mechanism.

[0013] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the frictional sliding mechanism of FIG. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary vehicle 10 that may include a frictional sliding mechanism. The vehicle 10, in this case a car, includes an interior 12 and an exterior 14. The vehicle 10 may include one or more systems that include frictional sliding mechanisms. For example, the vehicle 10 may include an armrest, a storage compartment, a cup holder, a headrest, and/or a sun visor that includes a frictional sliding mechanism to facilitate adjustment of the respective interior component. The frictional sliding mechanism may include one or more clamps slidably coupled to a rail. The one or more clamps may apply a lateral force to the rail to hold the respective component in a desired position. When the lateral force is overcome, the one or more clamps may slide along the length of the rail, thereby facilitating movement of the component. Accordingly, the frictional sliding mechanism facilitates movement of the one or more clamps along the length of the rail without using a viscous material. Thus, the sliding resistance of the frictional sliding mechanism may remain consistent with a change in temperature. Therefore, the frictional sliding mechanism may be moved throughout its life cycle by overcoming a substantially non-variable amount of sliding resistance. Moreover, the frictional sliding mechanism may not include any stops, but may function as if it has an unlimited number of stops, and the frictional sliding mechanism may move quietly.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an armrest support 18 having a frictional sliding mechanism 20 disposed on a bottom portion of the armrest support 18. As may be appreciated, an armrest may be attached to the armrest support 18. The armrest support 18 includes the frictional sliding mechanism 20 to facilitate armrest adjustment. Moreover, the armrest support 18 includes a movable substrate 22 that moves in a longitudinal direction relative to a fixed substrate coupled to the bottom of the movable substrate 22. In certain embodiments, the movable substrate may include ribs that provide structural support to an attached armrest. Furthermore, the movable substrate 22 may include openings to facilitate attaching an armrest to the movable substrate 22.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the armrest support 18 of FIG. 2 having the movable substrate 22 in a non-extended position relative to a fixed substrate. As illustrated, the frictional sliding mechanism 20 includes a rail 28 extending outwardly from the movable substrate 22, and a clamp configured to slide along lateral sides of the rail 28. The rail 28 may be integrally formed with the movable substrate 22 (e.g., via a single mold), thereby forming a movable assembly, or the rail 28 may be formed separately from the movable substrate 22, and coupled to the movable substrate 22 to form the movable assembly. The rail 28 may slide within the clamp when sufficient force is applied to the rail 28 via the movable substrate 22. Accordingly, the movable substrate 22 may move quietly from one position to another.

[0017] As illustrated, a fixed substrate 30 is coupled under the movable substrate 22. When the movable substrate 22 moves, the fixed substrate 30 remains stationary such that the movable substrate 22 moves in a longitudinal direction relative to the fixed substrate 30. The fixed substrate 30 includes openings 32 for fixedly attaching the fixed substrate 30 to the motor vehicle 10. In certain embodiments, the fixed substrate 30 may be fixedly attached to the motor vehicle 10 through a hinge, or another device. As may be appreciated, while the substrate 30 in the present embodiment is fixed and the substrate 22 is movable to move the substrate 22 relative to the substrate 30, in other embodiments, the substrate 22 may be fixed and the substrate 30 may be movably attached to the substrate 22 to move the substrate 30 relative to the substrate 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the frictional sliding mechanism 20 includes a clamp assembly 34 having a clamp configured to slide along the lateral sides of the rail 28 as the rail 28 moves within the clamp. The clamp assembly 34 also includes a substrate 36 that attaches to the clamp, and to the fixed substrate 30 via openings 38. Although illustrated as separate components, in certain embodiments, the substrate 36 and the fixed substrate 30 may be integrally formed. As illustrated, FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the armrest support 18 of FIG. 2 having the movable substrate 22 in an extended position relative to the fixed substrate 30.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the armrest support 18 of FIG. 2. As illustrated, a clamp 40 is rigidly (e.g., fixedly) coupled to the substrate 36 and extends outwardly from the substrate 36. Moreover, the clamp 40 is slidably coupled to the rail 28. Thus, the clamp 40 may frictionally engage the rail 28 such that friction may be overcome to move the movable substrate 22 relative to the fixed substrate 30. The clamp 40 includes a first arm 42 and a second arm 44. The first and second arms 42 and 44 are biased toward the rail 28 to apply a lateral force to the rail 28 to dampen longitudinal motion of the movable substrate 22 relative to the fixed substrate 36. For example, the clamp 40 may include spring like features to apply a first force from the first arm 42 toward a first lateral side of the rail 28, and to apply a second force from the second arm 44 toward a second lateral side of the rail 28.

[0019] The first arm 42 includes a first shoe 46 configured to engage the first lateral side of the rail 28, and the second arm 44 includes a second shoe 48 configured to engage the second lateral side of the rail 28. As may be appreciated, the rail 28, the first and second arms 42 and 44, and/or the first and second shoes 46 and 48 may be manufactured from one or more materials that facilitate movement of the rail 28 within the clamp 40. In certain embodiments, the rail 28, the first and second arms 42 and 44, and/or the first and second shoes 46 and 48 may be manufactured from a material including a polymer based material. For example, in some embodiments, the rail 28, the first and second arms 42 and 44, and/or the first and second shoes 46 and 48 may be manufactured from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), PC/ABS, polypropylene (PP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or any other suitable material.

[0020] It should be noted that while the present embodiment relates to an armrest support 18 of an armrest assembly, other systems of the motor vehicle 10 may include the clamp assembly 34 of the frictionally sliding mechanism 20, and/or the assembly including the movable substrate 22. For example, a storage compartment, a cup holder, a headrest, and/or a sun visor may include such assemblies.

[0021] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the frictional sliding mechanism 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate 22 includes the rail 28 extending outwardly therefrom. The clamp 40 is coupled to the substrate 36 of the clamp assembly 34. Moreover, the clamp 40 includes the first arm 42 having the first shoe 46, and the second arm 44 having the second shoe 48. As illustrated, the substrate 22 includes slots 50 to block the substrate 36 from moving vertically or laterally away from the substrate 22. Accordingly, the substrate 36 may move longitudinally back and forth as shown by arrows 52, and the clamp 40 may slide along the rail 28. As may be appreciated, the substrate 22 may be either fixedly attached to the motor vehicle 10, or the substrate 22 may be configured to move relative to the motor vehicle 10 and/or the substrate 30. Further, the substrate 30 may be either fixedly attached to the motor vehicle 10, or the substrate 30 may be configured to move relative to the motor vehicle 10 and/or the substrate 22.

[0022] In the present embodiment, the rail 28 extends in a substantially straight line along a longitudinal axis 54 of the substrate 22; however, in certain embodiments, the rail 28 may extend in a curved manner along the substrate 22. For example, the rail 28 may be part of a dashboard storage compartment. Accordingly, the rail 28 may be curved to move within the clamp 40. Thus, the clamp 40 may frictionally engage the rail 28 such that friction may be overcome to open and/or close the dashboard storage compartment.

[0023] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the frictional sliding mechanism 20 of FIG. 6. As illustrated, the substrate 36 may slide within the slots 50 of the substrate 22. Moreover, the shoes 46 and 48 may be positioned on opposite lateral sides of the rail 28, and may engage the lateral sides of the rail 28. As illustrated, the rail 28 may be a continuous material without any openings. In some embodiments, a profile of the rail 28 may change along a length of the rail 28, such as via a change in thickness, shape, continuity, and/or size of the rail 28 to direct the clamp 40 to act with different forces at different areas of the rail 28. For example, the rail 28 may have certain portions that are thicker than other portions of the rail 28, the rail 28 may have notches to act as detents, the rail 28 may have openings disposed thereon, and so forth. In certain embodiments, the clamp 40 may be manufactured to exert a sufficient force such that movement of the clamp 40 along the rail 28 is difficult. In such an embodiment, the clamp 40 may include a latch to release and/or reduce the clamping force provided by the clamp 40. Moreover, in some embodiment, the clamp assembly 34 may include multiple clamps 40, such that the clamps 40 are difficult to move along the rail 28. Accordingly, a first clamp 40 may include a latch to release the first clamp 40 from exerting clamping force on the rail 28, and thereby facilitate movement of a second clamp 40 along the rail 28. As may be appreciated, the clamping force of the clamps 40 of the clamp assembly 34 may be adjusted to any suitable clamping force.

[0024] The frictional sliding mechanism 20 described herein may be manufactured using low cost materials. In certain embodiments, the frictional sliding mechanism 20 may be formed at least partially from polymer based materials (e.g., plastic). Moreover, in other embodiments, the frictional sliding mechanism 20 may be formed completely from polymer based materials. By employing the devices described herein, the frictional sliding mechanism 20 may operate consistently under a variety of temperature and/or other atmospheric conditions. Further, the components of the frictional sliding mechanism 20 may provide consistent actuation over an extended duration.

[0025] While only certain features and embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters (e.g., temperatures, pressures, etc.), mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re- sequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention. Furthermore, in an effort to provide a concise description of the exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not have been described (i.e., those unrelated to the presently contemplated best mode of carrying out the invention, or those unrelated to enabling the claimed invention). It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made. Such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, without undue experimentation.