Sliding Armrest

Abstract

The present invention relates to a slidable armrest that may be used in combination with a console within a transportation vehicle. The armrest may be slidably mounted to a mounting bracket and overlie a console lid/compartment and be moveable forward to provide arm support for vehicle occupants or rearward to allow access to an underlying storage compartment. Two exemplary embodiments of actuating mechanisms for controlling fore/aft positioning of the armrest are disclosed.

1 . A movable armrest capable of slidable movement in a vehicle, comprising; 
 an armrest portion, including one or more slides;    a base portion, wherein said base portion includes a detent mechanism for adjustably positioning said movable armrest in said vehicle; and    a mounting bracket, wherein said one or more slides are slidably engaged to said bracket and wherein one or more projections extend from said bracket to releasably engage with said detent mechanism in said base portion.    
   
   
       2 . The movable armrest of  claim 1  wherein said armrest portion includes an upper portion and a lower portion which cooperate to form a storage compartment therebetween.  
   
   
       3 . The movable armrest of  claim 2  wherein said upper portion comprises one of injection molded plastic, a layer of skin overlying injection molded plastic, a layer of skin overlying a layer of foam overlying injection molded plastic, and a combined foam and skin layer overlying injection molded plastic.  
   
   
       4 . The movable armrest of  claim 2  wherein said upper portion and said lower portion are hingedly connected to allow access to said storage compartment.  
   
   
       5 . The movable armrest of  claim 1  including a console containing a storage compartment and said movable armrest overlies said storage compartment in said console when said movable armrest is in a first position, which movable armrest may be slidably moved to a second position to allow access to said console storage compartment.  
   
   
       6 . The movable armrest of  claim 1  wherein said detent mechanism comprises: 
 a comb-like component including a plurality of teeth which engage said one or more projections extending from said bracket and including one or more pins that extend from said comb-like component;    a slider, the slider having angled slots for receiving said one or more pins;    a handle connected to said slider; and    one or more springs connecting said slider to said base portion.    
   
   
       7 . The movable armrest of  claim 1  wherein said detent mechanism comprises: 
 a latch handle connected to said one or more projections by a cable;    one or more rows of inverted depressions formed in said base portion which are capable of aligning with said one or more projections;    wherein said one or more projections include at least one spring which forces said one or more projections to engage with said one or more inverted depressions when said spring is in a relatively expanded condition and which acts upon said cable to reposition said latch handle when in a relatively compressed condition.    
   
   
       8 . The movable armrest of  claim 5  wherein said bracket is attached to said console.  
   
   
       9 . The movable armrest of  claim 1  wherein said movable armrest is adjustable fore/aft in said vehicle in concert with an adjacent seat for an occupant.