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EP-4476098-B1 - INERTIA LATCH FOR A VEHICLE ARMREST

EP4476098B1EP 4476098 B1EP4476098 B1EP 4476098B1EP-4476098-B1

Inventors

  • WU, CHAO
  • CHEN, Mingxin
  • SHEN, TAO
  • LYU, Tian

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230210

Claims (15)

  1. A vehicle seating assembly comprising: an armrest (22) configured to rotate about an axis and between an up position (30) and a down position (32); a lock plate (46); a spin plate (64) configured to rotate with the armrest about the axis and having a channel; a pawl (72) disposed relative to the channel so as to move between a disengaged position and an engaged position, the pawl being biased to move towards the disengaged position by a biasing force, the pawl being disengaged from the lock plate when the pawl is in the disengaged position so as to allow the armrest to move between the up position and the down position, and the pawl engaging with the lock plate when the pawl is in the engaged position so as to inhibit movement of the armrest towards at least the down position; and one or more gears (200); wherein the pawl is configured to move from the disengaged position to the engaged position when a magnitude of a change in velocity of the spin plate causes inertia of the pawl to overcome the biasing force; and wherein the gears couple the armrest to the spin plate such that an angular rotation of the spin plate corresponds to a smaller angular rotation of the armrest.
  2. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 1, wherein the armrest is further configured to rotate relative to a seatback (24) of the vehicle seating assembly; or optionally wherein the lock plate is fixed relative to the seatback.
  3. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 1, wherein the spin plate is configured to rotate with the armrest and relative to the lock plate.
  4. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 2, wherein the change in velocity is a change in linear velocity.
  5. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 1, further comprising a spring, the spring being configured to apply the biasing force to the pawl; or optionally wherein the spin plate further comprises an aperture, and wherein the pawl comprises a post, the aperture and the post supporting the spring.
  6. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 1, further comprising a bracket (84), the bracket being rotationally fixed relative to the lock plate; or optionally further comprising a shaft defining the axis, the spin plate being coupled to the shaft.
  7. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the lock plate is configured to selectively rotate with the spin plate; and further comprising a finger (172) configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the lock plate, the finger preventing the lock plate from rotating with the spin plate when in the engaged position; and wherein the pawl is supported by the lock plate and the spin plate, the pawl being configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the pawl locking the spin plate to the lock plate when the finger is in the engaged position so as to inhibit movement of the armrest towards at least the down position.
  8. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 7, further comprising a ball (150) disposed in a receptacle, the ball being configured to move the finger from the disengaged position to the engaged position in response to a magnitude of a change in velocity of the receptacle that causes inertia of the ball to move within the receptacle; and optionally further comprising a hat (176) supported at least in part by the ball, the finger being supported by the hat; and optionally wherein the hat is configured to pivot between a first position and a second position in response to the ball moving within the receptacle; or optionally wherein the armrest is further configured to rotate relative to a seatback of the vehicle seating assembly; or optionally the finger is fixed relative to the seatback.
  9. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 8, wherein the ball is being configured to move the finger from the disengaged position to the engaged position in response to a magnitude of a change in velocity of the receptacle that causes inertia of the ball to move within the receptacle; , wherein the change in velocity is a change in linear velocity.
  10. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 8, wherein the spin plate is disposed within the lock plate; or optionally wherein at least a portion of the pawl is disposed between the spin plate and the lock plate.
  11. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, further comprising a tooth plate; in which the pawl is configured to move between the engaged position and the disengaged position with the pawl locking the spin plate to the tooth plate when the finger is in the engaged position.
  12. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 11, further comprising a ball (150) disposed in a receptacle, the ball being configured to move the finger from the disengaged position to the engaged position in response to a magnitude of a change in velocity of the receptacle that causes inertia of the ball to move within the receptacle; or optionally further comprising a hat (176) supported at least in part by the ball, the finger being supported by the hat; and optionally wherein the hat is configured to pivot between a first position and a second position in response to the ball moving within the receptacle.
  13. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 11, wherein the armrest is further configured to rotate relative to a seatback of the vehicle seating assembly; and optionally wherein the finger is fixed relative to the seatback; or optionally further comprising a ball (150) disposed in a receptacle, the ball being configured to move the finger from the disengaged position to the engaged position in response to a magnitude of a change in velocity of the receptacle that causes inertia of the ball to move within the receptacle wherein the change in velocity is a change in linear velocity; or optionally
  14. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 11, wherein the spin plate is disposed within the tooth plate.
  15. The vehicle seating assembly of Claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the pawl is disposed between the spin plate and the tooth plate.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This application relates to a safety system for a vehicle seating assembly. More particularly, the safety system includes an inertia latch which moves between an disengaged position and an engaged position to inhibit unintended movement of an armrest in the event of a collision. BACKGROUND Generally described, a variety of vehicles, such as electric vehicles, combustion engine vehicles, hybrid vehicles, etc., can be configured with a fold-out armrest for a seating assembly, e.g., a front or rear bench seat. More specifically, the armrest can be integrated into a rear bench seat and fold away between the back seats to allow for a central seating place to be used. If an accident occurs, e.g. head-on collision, rear-end collision, the armrest may rapidly rotate relative the seat depending on the position of the armrest and a direction of vehicle impact. Protective structures and methods may be incorporated into the vehicle to inhibit unintended movement of the armrest in the event of a collision to protect passengers. CN114228585A in an abstract states that "The invention provides a handrail locking device and a handrail assembly. The handrail locking device comprises a main plate, a first end cover and a second end cover, the first end cover and the second end cover are fixed to the two opposite sides of the main plate respectively, a ratchet hole is formed in the main plate, and a mandrel penetrates through the ratchet hole to be rotatably supported between the first end cover and the second end cover; one end of the core shaft is used for being connected with a handrail shaft through a gear transmission mechanism arranged in the first end cover, a rotating disc is fixedly arranged in the middle of the core shaft in a sleeved mode, the rotating disc is located in a ratchet hole of the main plate and rotates along with the core shaft, and a gear ring is arranged at the other end of the core shaft in a relatively rotating and sleeved mode. The gear ring is matched with a vehicle sensing assembly arranged in the second end cover; and a compression spring and a locking pawl are arranged between the gear ring and the turntable. According to the armrest locking device, the normal folding and unfolding function of the armrest is not affected in a normal state, and when a vehicle is braked suddenly or a collision accident occurs, the armrest can be locked in time to prevent passengers from being hurt due to excessive toppling of the armrest." CN108099722A in an abstract states that "The invention discloses a suspension armrest which is mounted on a backrest and comprises a gravity assembly and a locking mechanism. The gravity assembly rotates along with the armrest, the armrest is positioned at an inclined position, the gravity assembly unlocks the locking mechanism, the armrest can horizontally rotate and is positioned at a horizontal position, the gravity assembly locks the locking mechanism, and the armrest is locked at the horizontal position. According to the suspension armrest, the armrest is mounted on the backrest to ensure unchanged distance between the shoulder of the backrest and the armrest, and the armrest can be adjusted to the horizontal position and can be locked when the backrest is at an optional position of a front and back adjustment area, so that a forearm of a passenger can constantly and horizontally lean against the armrest by a proper distance." CN109591757A in an abstract states that "The invention discloses a car safety belt retractor provided with an anti-lock device. The car safety belt retractor comprises a retractor body and a belt sensing anti-locking device; the retractor body comprises a fixed shell, a mandrel, a locking assembly and an inertia block; the mandrel is rotatably connected with the fixed shell, the locking assembly is connected with the mandrel, the fixed shell is provided with a first inner ratchet wheel portion, the inertia block is provided with locking ratchets and an arc-shaped groove, and the locking ratchets are matched with the first inner ratchet wheel portion; the belt sensing anti-locking device comprises a belt sensing driving gear, a belt sensing driven gear and a belt sensing locking gear; the belt sensing locking gear is provided with a belt sensing arc-shaped protrusion, and the belt sensing arc-shaped protrusion is matched with the arc-shaped groove. The car safety belt retractor provided with the anti-lock device is provided, the locking function of a safety belt is prevented from being accidentally triggered under the normal use condition, and meanwhile, the locking function can be normally started in an unexpected situation, and safety of passengers is ensured." SUMMARY The present invention is set out in the independent claims, with some optional features set out in the claims dependent thereto. An aspect is directed to a vehicle seating assembly comprising an armrest configured to rotate about an axis and between an up position and