The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 29, 2016
Filed:
Dec. 11, 2014
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Linh Doan, Belleville, MI (US);
Kenneth S. Laird, Canton, MI (US);
Krishnakanth E. Aekbote, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Yudong Zhou, Troy, MI (US);
Nitesh Chandrakant Jadhav, Canton, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A vehicular armrest assembly includes a laterally collapsible substrate having a gap defined between inner and outer substrate portions. A tunable stiffening feature is disposed on the collapsible substrate and has an aperture positioned over the gap, and engagement tabs that engage the inner and outer substrate portions. The stiffening feature provides lateral support to the collapsible substrate to selectively allow the inner and outer substrate portions to deflect toward each other after a predetermined lateral load is placed on the collapsible substrate and an elastic bed disposed on the tunable stiffening feature and covering the aperture. The elastic bed vertically supports a cover member at the aperture and the lateral support provided to the collapsible substrate is solely provided by the stiffening feature.