Armrest structure for vehicle

Abstract

A structure of an armrest protruding and extending toward a passenger from an inside wall of a vehicle compartment, comprises a trim body portion covering the inside wall, an armrest face portion extending in a substantially horizontal direction from the trim body portion toward an inside, and a support face portion extending continuously from the armrest face portion downward. There is provided a weak portion (deformation promoting portion) between the trim body portion and the armrest face portion to promote deformation with respect to a lateral load. Further, there is provided a garnish covering the weak portion from the vehicle compartment. Accordingly, both sufficient resistance of the armrest in use for the load applied in the vertical direction and proper impact-absorption function of the armrest during the vehicle side collision can be obtained.

1 . An armrest structure for a vehicle, in which an armrest is disposed so as to protrude and extend toward a passenger from an inside wall of a vehicle compartment, comprising: 
 a trim body portion covering the inside wall of the vehicle compartment;    an armrest face portion extending in a substantially horizontal direction from said trim body portion toward an inside of the vehicle compartment;    a support face portion extending continuously from said armrest face portion downward;    a weak portion which is formed at and/or near said armrest face portion so as to promote a deformation of the armrest with respect to a load which is applied to the armrest in a vehicle width direction; and    a separate armrest body which is attached to said armrest face portion so as to cover said weak portion from the inside of the vehicle compartment.    
   
   
       2 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein a first opening is formed at said armrest face portion so as to extend in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.  
   
   
       3 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein said first opening is configured of plural holes.  
   
   
       4 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein a second opening is formed at the armrest between said armrest face portion and said support face portion so as to extend in the a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.  
   
   
       5 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein said second opening is configured of plural holes.  
   
   
       6 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein said armrest body is configured so as to be detached from said weak portion when said load applied to the armrest in the vehicle width direction is greater than a specified load.  
   
   
       7 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein said weak portion comprises a portion which is formed at said armrest face portion and a portion which is formed at the armrest between said armrest face portion and said support face portion or at said support face portion, and said armrest body is attached to said armrest face portion so as to cover the both weak portions from the inside of the vehicle compartment.  
   
   
       8 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein said armrest is formed at a door trim of a side door of the vehicle.  
   
   
       9 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein there is provided an impact absorbing member at an outside of said trim body portion.  
   
   
       10 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein there is further provided an impact absorbing member at an outside of said support face portion.  
   
   
       11 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein said weak portion comprises a plurality of openings and a connecting piece formed between the openings, the armrest body being configured to cover the openings and the connecting piece from the inside of the vehicle compartment.  
   
   
       12 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein said armrest body comprises plural pairs of engagement pieces which engage with opening edges of said first opening.  
   
   
       13 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein there is provided a recess member on said armrest face portion at a location before said armrest body.  
   
   
       14 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein said armrest body is configured so as to have substantially a flat upper face.  
   
   
       15 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein said armrest body is configured so as to have substantially a flat upper face.  
   
   
       16 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein said armrest body comprises a base portion, an engagement portion to engage with an opening edge of said first opening and a connecting portion to connect the base portion with the engagement portion, the armrest body being configured so as to be detached from said first opening of the armrest when said load applied to the armrest in the vehicle width direction is greater than a specified load with an engagement control between the engagement portion and the opening edge of the first opening.  
   
   
       17 . The armrest structure for a vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein there is provided an attaching hole formed at said armrest face portion, and said armrest body comprises a base portion, an engagement portion to engage with an opening edge of said attaching hole and a connecting portion to connect the base portion with the engagement portion, the armrest body being configured so as to be detached from said attaching hole of the armrest when said load applied to the armrest in the vehicle width direction is greater than a specified load with an engagement control between the engagement portion and the opening edge of the attaching hole.