Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Door or window with specified vehicle feature
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-03
2004-02-24
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Door or window with specified vehicle feature
C297S411210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06695387
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The present invention is an appendant to existing vehicular armrests such as are fixed to the interior of most vehicular door side panels. Specifically, the invention relates to modifying the fixed door-pull armrest for enhanced adjustability and comfort. In practice it is adapted to allow use of this armrest modification with a wide variety of styles and configurations of interior side panel armrests such as exist in many makes and models of land, sea, air or space vehicles.
Standard armrests, which are fixed to vehicle side door panels, do not allow most drivers/passengers to rest their arm comfortably on the existing door-pull, while continuing to hold the steering wheel safely, resulting over time in strain to drivers' shoulders while operating the vehicle. In fact, many physical therapists recommend to patients experiencing upper extremity pain that they place a rolled-up towel on the existing armrest to raise it's height for more comfort. Whereas this invention provides greater comfort as a purpose herein, it likewise ensures availability of adjustments for height, forward/rearward/sidewise position, and up/down tilt in a device that can be mounted simply and reversibly to most vehicles. The device may thus be used to accommodate drivers and passengers of variable anatomical size, weight or conformation.
Various efforts have been made to accommodate the armrest needs of vehicle drivers and passengers. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,247,547 (Ko Euno) a soft cushion is provided as a clamp-on device for wooden armrests. Several covers for existing vehicle armrests are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,633,186 (Jeckell), U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,602 (Greenstadt), and U.S. Pat. No. 2,721,605 (Griffiths, et al.); however, these devices are all intended to protect the armrest from wear or damage and do not accommodate the occupant in a meaningful manner. The current invention is a supplement to existing vehicle door panel armrests, and not a replacement for them.
THE PRIOR ART
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,921 (Sanders) provides for a second armrest that can be placed on the open window frame of a vehicle. A similar device, defined in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,601 (Carlber), describes a clip device to attach a fixed second armrest to the doorframe of a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,497 (Wiles) improves on this concept by allowing for sliding and plural pivot point adjustments for a second armrest. By contrast, the current invention does not comprise a second, independent armrest, per se.
One earlier patented supplemental armrest was provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,288 (Coates). Significantly, it defines a thin cushioning that may be attached to an existing vehicle door panel, setting on the existing armrest with a degree of forward and rearward adjustment. Notwithstanding, this attachment to the door panel requires affixing an anchor to the door panel per se, thereby holding the new arm cushion in position by Velcro® or other means. This patent suggests a pad thickness of one-half to one inch with a clear recommendation that thicker pads would be uncomfortable. To the contrary, the adjustable vehicle door panel armrest of the present invention requires no alteration to the exiting vehicle panel, it being attached via insertion of one or more projections into the existing armrest cavity. It also allows for adjustable armrest thickness, substantially greater than one inch, provides for various configurations to fit a wider range of diverse vehicles, and has greater overall adjustability in comparison to that provided by Coates, aforesaid.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an appendant to existing vehicle door panel armrests whereby the disposition of the arm support is created selectively more adjustable, thereby enhancing the comfort of the drivers' arm. In its preferred embodiment, the assembly of invention defines variable anchoring projections, for selective utility with conventional vehicles, whereby the assembly sets on the existing armrest top surface, one or more projections being inserted into the door-pull opening of the armrest. The projections provide a tight fit or triangulation anchorage for the appendant vehicle door panel armrest. The invention may be easily installed or removed with no permanent alteration to the existing door panel or exiting armrest. A cushion segment of the supplemental armrest comprises a comfortable, resilient material covered with an appropriate, durable material. Coactive with the existing panel armrests, anchor elements of the appendant permit adjustments for height, forward/rearward/sidewise position, and up/down tilt.
One object of the invention is to provide an appendant to an extant door-pull and armrest, ensuring greater user comfort and facile insertions and/or removal from an existing vehicle door panel armrest.
Another object of the invention is to provide an appendant to an extant armrest that contains a built-in variety of locations for projections of various sizes and lengths thereby allowing mounting of the device with differing makes and models of vehicles.
Another object of the invention is to provide an appendant armrest that incorporates numerous built-in and/or readily available means for adjustments of height, forward/rearward/sidewise position, and up/down tilt.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2633186 (1953-03-01), Jeckell
patent: 5332288 (1994-07-01), Coates
patent: 5692711 (1997-12-01), Tucker
patent: 5951094 (1999-09-01), Konishi et al.
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