Inertial latch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10696204-B2
Application number	US-201816176479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2018
Priority date	Oct 31, 2018
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

An inertial latch for a motor vehicle armrest is rotatably connected to a a bracket mounted to a support structure; an armrest interfacing component is disposed in an arcuate slot in the bracket, the slot extending from a first to a second end; a primary pawl rotatable from a first to a second position and limiting motion of the interfacing component in the slot; a secondary pawl rotatable from a third position to a fourth position and limiting motion of the primary pawl; a stop limits motion of the secondary pawl. The armrest articulates from a closed to an open position, the interfacing component moves through the entire slot when the primary pawl is in the first position, the interfacing component is held within a portion less than the entire slot when the primary pawl is in the second position, and the interfacing component is releasable from the portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inertial latch for a movable component of a motor vehicle comprising:
a bracket mounted to a support structure of the motor vehicle, the movable component rotatably connected to the bracket by a first pin;
an interfacing component of the movable component disposed in an arcuate slot formed in the bracket, the arcuate slot extending from a first end to a second end;
a primary pawl rotatable about a second pin from a first position to a second position, the primary pawl selectively limiting motion of the interfacing component in the arcuate slot;
a secondary pawl rotatable about a third pin from a third position to a fourth position, the secondary pawl selectively limiting motion of the primary pawl; and
a stop limiting a range of motion of the secondary pawl,
wherein the movable component articulates from a closed position to an open position, the interfacing component is allowed to move through the entirety of the arcuate slot when the primary pawl is in the first position, the interfacing component is held within a first portion less than the entirety of the arcuate slot when the primary pawl is in the second position, and the interfacing component is selectively releasable from the first portion.

2. The inertial latch of claim 1 wherein the primary pawl is substantially L-shaped and biased towards the first position by a first control spring.

3. The inertial latch of claim 1 wherein the secondary pawl is substantially chevron shaped and biased towards the third position by a second control spring.

4. The inertial latch of claim 1 wherein when the movable component is in the closed position and not subjected to dynamic external forces, the interfacing component is disposed at the first end of the arcuate slot, and the primary pawl is in the first position.

5. The inertial latch of claim 4 wherein when the interfacing component is disposed at the first end of the arcuate slot, the interfacing component interacts with an interference portion of the secondary pawl and the secondary pawl is moved away from the stop.

6. The inertial latch of claim 1 wherein when the movable component is in the open position and not subjected to dynamic external forces, the interfacing component is disposed at the second end of the arcuate slot opposite from the first end, the primary pawl is in the first position, and the secondary pawl is in the third position, wherein the secondary pawl is in contact with the stop in the third position.

7. The inertial latch of claim 1 wherein when the movable component is in the closed position and subjected to dynamic external forces, the movable component engages a locked position in which the primary pawl moves from the first position to the second position, the interfacing component moves away from the first end of the arcuate slot, and the secondary pawl moves from the third position to the fourth position, wherein the interfacing component contacts with and interferes with movement of the primary pawl, the secondary pawl contacts and interferes with movement of the primary pawl and the interfacing component, and the interfacing component is held within the first portion.

8. The inertial latch of claim 7 , wherein the locked position of the movable component is selectively releasable by manipulating the movable component from the locked position to the closed position.

9. The inertial latch of claim 1 , wherein the interfacing component is formed with a slot, the slot optimally sized and shaped to accept the primary pawl when the primary pawl is in the second position.

10. An inertial latch for an armrest of a motor vehicle comprising:
a bracket mounted to a support structure of the motor vehicle, the bracket having a plurality of fasteners, the armrest rotatably connected to the bracket by a first fastener;
a travel rod disposed in an arcuate slot formed in the bracket, the arcuate slot extending from a first end to a second end, an insert disposed in at least a portion of the arcuate slot, the insert altering an effective width of the arcuate slot;
a primary pawl rotatable about a second fastener from a first position to a second position, the primary pawl biased towards the first position and selectively limiting motion of the travel rod in the arcuate slot;
a secondary pawl rotatable about a third pin from a third position to a fourth position, the secondary pawl biased towards the third position and selectively limiting motion of the primary pawl; and
a stop limiting a range of motion of the secondary pawl,
wherein the armrest articulates from a closed position to an open position, the travel rod is allowed to move through the entirety of the arcuate slot when the primary pawl is in a first position, the travel rod is held within a first portion less than the entirety of the arcuate slot when the primary pawl is in a second position, and the travel rod is selectively releasable from the first portion.

11. The inertial latch for an armrest of a motor vehicle of claim 10 wherein the primary pawl is biased towards the first position by a first control spring, and the secondary pawl is biased towards the third position by a second control spring.

12. The inertial latch for an armrest of a motor vehicle of claim 11 wherein the first control spring is a helical spring and the second control spring is a torsion spring.

13. The inertial latch for an armrest of a motor vehicle of claim 10 wherein the primary pawl has a substantially L-shaped profile and the secondary pawl has a substantially chevron-shaped profile.

14. The inertial latch for an armrest of a motor vehicle of claim 10 wherein the secondary pawl is in contact with the stop when the secondary pawl is in the third position.

15. The inertial latch for an armrest of a motor vehicle of claim 10 wherein when the armrest is in the closed position and not subjected to dynamic external forces, the travel rod is disposed at the first end of the arcuate slot, and the primary pawl is in the first position.

16. The inertial latch of claim 10 wherein when the travel rod is disposed at the first end of the arcuate slot, the travel rod interacts with an interference portion of the secondary pawl and the secondary pawl is moved away from the stop.

17. The inertial latch of claim 10 wherein when the armrest is in the open position and not subjected to dynamic external forces, the travel rod is disposed at the second end of the arcuate slot opposite from the first end, the primary pawl is in the first position, and the secondary pawl is in the third position, and the secondary pawl is in contact with the stop in the third position.

18. The inertial latch of claim 10 wherein when the armrest is in the closed position and subjected to dynamic external forces, the armrest engages a locked position in which the primary pawl moves from the first position to the second position, the travel rod moves away from the first end of the arcuate slot, and the secondary pawl moves from the third position to the fourth position, wherein the travel rod contacts and interferes with movement of the primary pawl, the secondary pawl contacts and interferes with movement of the primary pawl and the travel rod, and the travel rod is held within the first portion.

19. The inertial latch of claim 18 , wherein the locked position of the armrest is selectively releasable by manipulating the armrest from the locked position to the closed position.

20. An inertial latch for an armrest of a motor vehicle comprising:
a bracket mounted to a support

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Stewart Patrick N
• Reader Edeena A

Classifications

• E05B83/32 Primary

  for console boxes, e.g. between passenger seats · CPC title

• E05B79/10

  Connections between movable lock parts · CPC title

• B60N2/78

  post or panel mounted · CPC title

• B60N2/757

  in a recess of the back-rest · CPC title

• B60N2/753

  movable to an inoperative position · CPC title