Abstract:
A latch assembly for a vehicle armrest may include a pair of pawls fixed on opposite sides of a coupler, each pawl including a projection on each end thereof, and a pair of paddles each engaging one of each pawls and configured to cause inward translation of at least one of the pawls in response to an actuation at one of the paddles, wherein an inward translation of one pawl causes, via the coupler, an inward translation of the other pawl to disengage the projections from a console.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    Disclosed herein are dual pawl latch mechanism assemblies. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Vehicles often include center console arranged between driver and passenger seats. The console may include an arm rest that may be adjustable to a user&#39;s preferences. Such arm rests may be moveable in a fore and aft direction in order to permit access to compartments within the console. The arm rests may also be pivotable about an axis and may be opened to store items therein. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A latch assembly for a vehicle armrest may include a pair of pawls fixed on opposite sides of a coupler, each pawl including a projection on each end thereof, and a pair of paddles each engaging one of each pawls and configured to cause inward translation of at least one of the pawls in response to an actuation at one of the paddles, wherein an inward translation of one pawl causes, via the coupler, an inward translation of the other pawl to disengage the projections from a console. 
         [0004]    An armrest assembly for a vehicle armrest may include a pair of armrests spaced from one another and arranged on each side of a center console, each armrests including a pawl fixed to opposite sides of a coupler, and a pair of paddles each engaging one pawl and configured to cause, via the coupler, an inward translation of both pawls in response to an actuation at one of the paddles. 
         [0005]    A pawl assembly for a vehicle armrest may include a pair of pawls coupled to each side of a coupler, a pair of paddles each engaging one of the pawls, the paddles rotatable about a pivot such that an actuation at one of the paddles is configured to cause an inward translation of a respective pawl and wherein the inward translation of the respective pawl causes, via the coupler, an inward translation of the other pawl. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The embodiments of the present disclosure are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, other features of the various embodiments will become more apparent and will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a center console; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the console of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an armrest assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates a rear view of an armrest assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the portion of the console of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a latch assembly; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  illustrates a side view of a portion of the latch assembly of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 8A-8B  illustrate cross-sectional views of the latch assembly of  FIG. 6  in various states; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate side views of the portion of the latch assembly of  FIG. 6 ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  illustrates a perspective cross-sectional view of the armrest assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
         [0018]    Vehicles often include center consoles between the driver and passenger seats. These consoles may provide for storage, as well as provide armrests integrated into a storage bin lid to increase driver and passenger comfort and provide a cover for the storage bin. These armrests may include a single armrest lid and a latch mechanism arranged in the center thereof. Upon actuation of a latch, an armrest lid may rotate about a pivot, allowing a user access to a storage compartment below the armrest. In some situations, dual armrests integrated into a single lid may be provided where each the driver and the passenger may enjoy their own armrest provided by the center console. One example console may include a “split wing” armrest where a left and right armrest are provided with a center panel which is flush with the fore/aft panels of the console. The armrest lid may be elevated with respect to a center panel. The armrests and center panel there between may be elevated to allow a user access to the storage compartment there below. 
         [0019]    In the split wing arrangement, the latch mechanism that is configured to release the armrest assembly from the console may be arranged within the armrest assembly to facilitate the flush panel between and below the armrest. That is, the latch mechanism may not be arranged between the two armrests, but within and below the armrests. This latch mechanism may provide for rotational actuation paddles in each of the armrests that actuate the latch mechanism independent of each other. Upon actuation of either paddle, the armrest assembly may disengage from the console such that the armrest may be pivotable with respect to the access in order to allow access to the storage compartment in an unattached state. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a center console  100 . The center console  100  may be arranged within a vehicle. In the example of a motor vehicle such as a car, the console  100  may be arranged between a driver&#39;s seat and a passenger&#39;s seat. The console  100  may also be arranged between two rear seats. The console  100  may be configured to provide for closed storage within the vehicle and may include at least one storage receptacle  104 . The center console  100  may include an armrest assembly  102  (as best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The armrest assembly may include at least two armrests  110   a ,  110   b , collectively referred to herein as armrests  110 . The armrests  110  may each include a top portion  112   a ,  112   b , collectively referred to herein as top portions  112 . In one example, the top portions  112  may be configured to actuate about an axis such that the top portions  112  may open and close to gain access to an interior  114   a ,  114   b  of the respective armrest  110 , collectively referred to herein as interiors  114 . 
         [0021]    The armrests  110  may define a space  116  between one another and may be elevated from the console  100 . The space  116  may provide unobstructed access to a panel  230  arranged on the console  100  between the armrests  110 . The panel  120  may be flush with the doors  106  and/or a fore portion  122  of the console  100 . The armrests  110  may form a split wing assembly such that the armrests  110  are raised above a flush center panel (e.g., panel  120 ). 
         [0022]    The armrest assembly  102  may be pivotable about the console  100  and in an open state, may allow access to the storage receptacle  104 . The armrests  110  may each include at least one release mechanism  118   a ,  118   b , collectively referred to herein as release mechanism  118 . Upon actuating one of the release mechanisms  118 , the armrest assembly  102  may be released from a locked position from the console  100  and may be movable about a pivot, thus providing access to the storage receptacle  104  within the console  100 . The release mechanism  118  is described in more detail below with respect to  FIG. 10 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the console  100  of  FIG. 1 . As explained above, a pair of elevated armrests  110  may be spaced from one another. The panel  120  may be arranged within the space  116  and may be flush with the fore and aft portions  122 ,  124  of the console  100 . One or more doors  106  may be arranged within the console  100  to provide access to the receptacle  104 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the armrest assembly  102  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a rear view of the armrest assembly of  FIG. 1 . The portion of the console just below the panel  120  is referred to herein as the panel housing  126 . The panel housing  126  may be arranged just below the armrests  110 . 
         [0025]    The armrest assembly  102  may include a pawl projection  128   a ,  128   b , collectively referred to as pawl projections  128 , at each side of the armrest assembly  102 . The pawl projections  128  may retract into the armrest assembly in response to an actuation at one of the release mechanisms  118 . Retraction of the pawl projections  128  may release the armrest assembly  102  from a locked position with the console  100 . This is described in more detail below with respect to  FIG. 10 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the panel housing  126  of the console  100  of  FIG. 4 . The panel housing  126  may house a latch assembly  130 . The latch assembly  130  may be configured to maintain the top portion  112  of the armrests  110  in a closed position. The latch assembly  130  may include the pawl projections  128 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the latch assembly  130 . The latch assembly  130  may include a first portion  132  arranged within the first armrest  110   a  and a second portion  134  arranged within the second armrest  110   b . The first portion  132  may include a first latch paddle  138   a  and a first latch pivot  140   a  arranged there through. The paddle  138   a  may be arranged within the armrest  110   a  and may be configured to actuate, or rotate, about the pivot  140   a.    
         [0028]    The paddle  138   a  may be coupled to a first shaft  144   a  of a first pawl  148   a  via a cam surface. As the first paddle  138   a  is rotated about the first pivot  140   a , the first paddle  138   a  may cause the shaft  144   a  to move linearly downward, as shown in  FIG. 6 . That is, the rotational motion of the first paddle  138  may cause linear displacement of the first shaft  144   a . This is in part due to the paddle  138   a  being splined to the shaft. 
         [0029]    Once the first shaft  144   a  is displaced, the first pawl  148   a  may subsequently translate inward in response to the linear vertical translations of the first shaft  144   a . Because the first pawl  148   a  is splined to the first shaft  144   a , the first pawl  148   a  remains horizontal during rotation. Thus, rotation of the first paddle  138   a  translates to a horizontal displacement of the first pawl  148   a.    
         [0030]    The second portion  134  may include corresponding parts to the first portion  132 . For example, the second portion  134  may include a second latch paddle  138 B, a second latch pivot  140   b , a second shaft  144   b  and a second pawl  148   b . The parts may be referred to collectively as paddles  138 , pivots  140 , shafts  144  and pawls  148 . 
         [0031]    The first pawl  148   a  and second pawl  148   b  may be connected and attached to a coupler  150 . The coupler  150  may be a cylindrical coupler arranged between the pawls  148  within a center of the panel housing  126 . The coupler  150  may interface with each of the pawls  148  such that each of the pawls  148  are hard coupled to the coupler  150  at first and second attachment jaws  136 A,  136 B, collectively referred to herein as attachment jaws  136 . Each of the attachment jaws  136  may be retractable within the coupler  150 . The coupler  150  may include a gear mechanism therein (not shown) configured to couple to each of the jaws  136 . The gear mechanism may include a pair of gears coupled together and each connected to one of the jaws  136 . 
         [0032]    The gear mechanism may facilitate mirror reactions at each of the jaws  136 . For example, if one of the jaws  136  moves inward, the gear mechanism will pull the other jaw  136  inward as well. For example, as one pawl  148  is translated horizontally inward in response to an actuation at a respective paddle  138 , the coupler  150  may also pull the opposite pawl  148  inward. That is, if the first pawl  148   a  is translated horizontally inward, so is the second pawl  148   b . Thus, the pawls  148  are configured to act as both master and slave relative to one another. For example, when the first paddle  138   a  is actuated, the first paddle  138   a  is configured to act as the master and the second paddle  138 B is configured to act as the salve and vice versa. 
         [0033]    As the pawls  148  are moved inward, so are the pawl projections  128 . As the pawl projections  128  move inward, the armrest assembly  102  is released from the locked position with respect to the console. Thus, actuation at one paddle  138  may cause each of the pawl projections  128  to recede within the panel housing  126 , releasing the armrest assembly  102 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 7  illustrates a side view of a portion of the latch assembly  130  of  FIG. 6 . Each shaft  144  may include an angular slope  142   a ,  142   b , collectively referred to herein as angular slope  142 , as best shown in  FIG. 6 . The angular slope  142  may define a spline  152  or follower  152 . Furthermore, the paddle  138  may include a paddle projection  156  or paddle cam  156  configured to engage the spline  152 . The cam  156  may be received by the follower  152  such that the cam  156  is maintained and slidable within a track created by the follower  152 . As the paddle  138  is rotated downward, the projection  156  may slide within the spline  152 . The paddle projection  156  may maintain a lateral position during the downward rotation. In doing so, as the projection  156  moves laterally downward within the spline  152 , the pawl  148  may be forced inward toward the coupler  150 . 
         [0035]    That is, as the paddle  138  rotates downward, the projection  156  is pushed further down within the spline  154 . The shaft  144  may thus move inward as the projection  156  moves downward to accommodate the downward motion of the projection. The angular slope  142  housing the spline  154  guides the pawl  148  inward. Thus, the shaft  144  of the pawl  148  moves inward in response to actuation of the paddle  138 . 
         [0036]      FIGS. 8A-8B  illustrate cross-sectional views of the latch assembly  130  of  FIG. 6  in an actuated or released state.  FIG. 6 , as described above, illustrates the latch assembly  130  in a normal nominal position or latched state. In the normal position, the pawl projections  128  may be biased outward and the armrest assembly  102  may be in a locked position with respect to the console  100 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 8A  illustrates the latch assembly  130  in an actuated position where the first paddle  138   a  is actuated. In response to the first paddle  138   a  being actuated, the first pawl  148   a  is translated inward toward the coupler  150 . Subsequently, due to the dual-pawl assembly and the coupler  150 , the second pawl  148   b  is also translated inward toward the coupler  150 . Both pawl projections  128  are pulled inward with the pawls  148  to release the armrest assembly  102  from the console  100 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 8B  illustrates the latch assembly  130  in an actuated position where the second paddle  138   b  is actuated. In response to the second paddle  138   b  being actuated, the second pawl  148   b  is translated inward toward the coupler  150 . Subsequently, due to the dual-pawl assembly, the first pawl  148   a  is also translated inward toward the coupler  150 . 
         [0039]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate side views of the portion of the latch assembly  130  of  FIG. 6  in the actuated states.  FIG. 9A  illustrates the first paddle  138   a  being actuated and  FIG. 9B  illustrates the second paddle  138   b  being actuated. 
         [0040]    Further shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B  is the spline  154  defined within the shaft  144  for receiving the paddle projection  156 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 10  illustrates a perspective cross-sectional view of the armrest assembly  102 . As shown, the latch assembly  130  may be included within the armrest assembly  102 . The console  100  may include a frame  160  defining a recess  162   a ,  162   b  at each side of the armrest assembly, collectively referred to herein as recesses  162 . During the locked state, the recess  162  may be configured to receive the pawl projections  128  and maintain the armrest assembly  102  on the console  100 . In the released state, the pawl projections  128  may be pulled inward and therefor removed from the recesses  162 , allowing the armrest assembly  102  to be released from the console  100 . 
         [0042]    While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.