Automobile seat center armrest lock

Abstract

The application discloses a car seat central armrest lock which comprises a support body, the support body can be located on a storage position or an unfolding position, a fixed shaft and a rotating shaft are arranged on the support body, a locking mechanism is connected with the support body and comprises a fixed locking piece, a rotating locking piece and an elastic piece, the fixed locking piece is fixedly connected with the fixed shaft and cannot rotate relative to the fixed shaft, a protruding part is arranged on the fixed locking piece, the rotating locking piece is connected with the rotating shaft and can rotate relative to the rotating shaft, when the rotating locking piece rotates and is separated from the fixed locking piece, the support body can rotate relative to the fixed shaft to switch between the storage position and the unfolding position, the rotating locking piece comprises an arc-shaped locking surface, the elastic piece is connected with the rotating locking piece, when the support body is located on the storage position, the elastic piece gradually applies a force to the rotating locking piece, so that the arc-shaped locking surface gradually fills a gap between the rotating locking piece and the fixed locking piece, and then the arc-shaped locking surface abuts against the protruding part to limit the rotation of the support body around the fixed shaft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive accessories technology, and more specifically to a car seat center armrest lock. Background Technology

[0002] As the functions integrated into the center armrest of a seat increase, its weight and inertia also increase significantly. During emergency braking or a collision at high speed, the inertial force can cause the armrest to flip forward. This not only severely compromises passenger comfort but also poses a significant safety risk, potentially causing injury or other safety hazards to passengers. The armrest lock installed on the side of the center armrest is a crucial functional component. By performing reliable locking and unlocking actions and effectively controlling the flip angle, it not only ensures the safety and convenience of user operation but also greatly enhances the user experience. Furthermore, a highly stable lock body is fundamental to ensuring the durability and reliability of these functions and is crucial to the overall quality of the armrest system.

[0003] Currently, many handrail locks only use a one-way abutment method between the rotating lock plate and the fixed lock plate in the locking position. At the same time, the production process of the lock body is complicated, requiring blanking, punching, and bending of the sheet metal of the fixed brackets on both sides. The fixed lock plate and the rotating lock plate are installed into the positioning holes of the sheet metal of the two side brackets, and the locking is achieved by the outline of the fixed lock plate and the outline of the rotating lock plate. There are manufacturing errors in the production of each component, and gaps will be generated during assembly, which will result in an unstable locking position and a shaking phenomenon. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a car seat center armrest lock to improve the locking stability of the car seat center armrest lock.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows: A car seat center armrest lock is provided, comprising: a bracket body, which can be located in either a stowed or unfolded position, and the bracket body is provided with a fixed shaft and a rotating shaft; a locking mechanism, which is connected to the bracket body, and includes a fixed locking plate, a rotating locking plate, and an elastic element, wherein the fixed locking plate is fixedly connected to the fixed shaft and is non-rotatable relative to the fixed shaft, and the fixed locking plate is provided with a protrusion; the rotating locking plate is connected to the rotating shaft and can... When the rotating locking plate rotates away from the fixed locking plate relative to the rotating shaft, the bracket body can rotate relative to the fixed shaft to switch between a stowed position and an unfolded position. The rotating locking plate has an arc-shaped locking surface, and the elastic element is connected to the rotating locking plate. When the bracket body is in the stowed position, the elastic element gradually applies force to the rotating locking plate to gradually fill the gap between the rotating locking plate and the fixed locking plate through the arc-shaped locking surface. Then, the arc-shaped locking surface abuts against the protrusion to limit the rotation of the bracket body around the fixed shaft.

[0006] As a preferred embodiment, the center of the arc-shaped locking surface is not concentric with the center of the rotating shaft, so that the contact area between the arc-shaped locking surface and the protrusion changes continuously during the rotation of the rotating locking plate, thereby generating a radial clamping force.

[0007] As another preferred embodiment, the direction in which the elastic element drives the rotating locking plate to rotate is consistent with the direction of the external force required when the bracket body switches from the stored position to the unfolded position; when the bracket body rotates from the stored position to the unfolded position under the action of the external force, the inertial force generated by the center of gravity of the bracket body and the restoring force provided by the elastic element to the rotating locking plate work together to continuously press the protrusion with the arc-shaped locking surface.

[0008] Further preferably, the locking mechanism further includes an unlocking bracket, which is coaxially sleeved on the rotating shaft and overlapped with the rotating locking plate; the unlocking bracket is provided with an operating part, and a transmission part is provided on the rotating locking plate. When the operating part is operated to drive the unlocking bracket to rotate, the operating part abuts against the transmission part, thereby driving the rotating locking plate to rotate synchronously, thereby unlocking the fixed locking plate.

[0009] In a further preferred embodiment, the unlocking bracket is also provided with a locking part. When the bracket body is in the stored position, the locking part abuts against the protrusion of the fixed locking piece, so as to form a double locking structure together with the locking engagement of the rotating locking piece and the fixed locking piece.

[0010] Preferably, the engaging portion of the unlocking bracket and the protruding portion of the fixing lock piece form a surface contact.

[0011] Preferably, the elastic element is also connected to the unlocking bracket to drive the unlocking bracket back to its original position, so that the engaging part abuts against the protrusion.

[0012] In a further preferred embodiment, the device also includes an isolating member, which is sleeved on the rotating shaft and located between the rotating locking plate and the unlocking bracket; the contact surfaces of the isolating member, the rotating locking plate, and the unlocking bracket are all smooth planes, so that the rotating locking plate can rotate relative to the isolating member, and the unlocking bracket can rotate relative to the isolating member.

[0013] Preferably, the bracket body includes an upper bracket plate and a lower bracket plate disposed opposite to each other; the elastic element includes a first elastic element and a second elastic element; one end of the first elastic element is connected to the upper bracket plate, and the other end is connected to the rotating locking plate. When the rotating locking plate is rotated by force to unlock, the first elastic element deforms to provide a restoring force to the rotating locking plate in the locking direction; one end of the second elastic element is connected to the lower bracket plate, and the other end is connected to the unlocking bracket. When the user operates the unlocking bracket to drive the rotating locking plate to perform an unlocking operation, the second elastic element deforms to provide a restoring force to the unlocking bracket in the locking direction.

[0014] Preferably, there is a free travel distance between the operating part of the unlocking bracket and the transmission part of the rotating locking plate; within the range of the free travel distance, when the operating part is operated to drive the unlocking bracket to rotate, the operating part and the transmission part do not come into contact or abut.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows:

[0016] When the bracket body needs to be held in the stowed position, the elastic element gradually applies elastic force to the rotating locking plate through its deformation and restoring action, causing the rotating locking plate to rotate around the rotation axis in the direction of the fixed locking plate. As the rotating plate rotates, the arc-shaped locking surface of the rotating locking plate gradually approaches the protrusion of the fixed locking plate. Due to the continuous curved surface structure of the arc-shaped locking surface, its contact with the protrusion is a gradual fit. The gap between the arc-shaped locking surface and the protrusion is eliminated as the rotating locking plate continues to rotate deeper. When the arc-shaped locking surface and the protrusion are completely abutted and limited, the rotating locking plate is restricted from further rotation. Thus, through the cooperation between the protrusion and the arc-shaped locking surface, the gap is eliminated, preventing the bracket body from shaking and achieving a firm lock of the car seat center armrest lock in the stowed position. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the center armrest lock for a car seat.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the center armrest lock for a car seat from another perspective.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a car seat center armrest lock.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a magnified side view of the locking mechanism of the center armrest lock in a car seat.

[0021] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the structure for unlocking the locking mechanism when the bracket body is in the storage position.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the support body when it is in the unfolded position.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure at the point where the protrusion meets the arc-shaped locking surface in the locking mechanism.

[0024] Figure 8 This is another structural diagram of the mating point between the protrusion and the arc-shaped locking surface in the locking mechanism.

[0025] Figure 9 A schematic diagram showing the structure in which the unlocking bracket and the fixing locking plate cooperate and abut against each other.

[0026] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of the locking mechanism.

[0027] In the diagram: 1. Car seat center armrest lock; 10. Bracket body; 11. Upper bracket plate; 12. Lower bracket plate; 13. Fixed shaft; 14. Rotating shaft; 15. Fixed pin; 20. Locking mechanism; 21. Fixed locking plate; 211. Protrusion; 212. First locking tooth; 213. Second locking tooth; 22. Rotating locking plate; 221. Arc-shaped locking surface; 2211. Gentle surface; 2212. Convex surface; 222. Transmission part; 23. Elastic element; 231. First elastic element; 232. Second elastic element; 24. Unlocking bracket; 241. Operating part; 242. Engaging part; 30. Isolating element; 40. Limiting pin. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present application will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be noted that, without conflict, the various embodiments or technical features described below can be arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments.

[0029] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the directional terms such as "center", "lateral", "longitudinal", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", and "counterclockwise" indicate the orientation and positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. They should not be construed as limiting the specific protection scope of this application.

[0030] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0031] The terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification and claims of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to such process, method, product, or device.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, see Figures 1 to 10 This application provides a car seat center armrest lock 1, including: a bracket body 10, which can be located in either a stowed or unfolded position, and has a fixed shaft 13 and a rotating shaft 14 on the bracket body 10; a locking mechanism 20, which is connected to the bracket body 10, and includes a fixed locking plate 21, a rotating locking plate 22, and an elastic element 23. The fixed locking plate 21 is fixedly connected to the fixed shaft 13 and cannot rotate relative to the fixed shaft 13. The fixed locking plate 21 has a protrusion 211; the rotating locking plate 22 is connected to the rotating shaft 14 and can rotate relative to the fixed shaft 14. When the rotating shaft 14 rotates and the rotating locking plate 22 rotates away from the fixed locking plate 21, the bracket body 10 can rotate relative to the fixed shaft 13 to switch between the stored position and the unfolded position. The rotating locking plate 22 is provided with an arc-shaped locking surface 221, and the elastic element 23 is connected to the rotating locking plate 22. When the bracket body 10 is in the stored position, the elastic element 23 gradually applies force to the rotating locking plate 22, so as to gradually fill the gap between the rotating locking plate 22 and the fixed locking plate 21 through the arc-shaped locking surface 221. Then, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 abuts against the protrusion 211 to limit the rotation of the bracket body 10 around the fixed shaft 13.

[0033] The support body 10 serves as the foundation for the installation and support of the handrail. The support body 10 is equipped with a fixed shaft 13 and a rotating shaft 14. The fixed shaft 13 is a fixed reference shaft, and it is fixedly positioned relative to the fixed locking plate 21. The support body 10, the rotating locking plate 22, and the elastic element 23 form a single unit that can rotate relative to the fixed shaft 13, thereby allowing for... Figure 5 The collection slot shown is... Figure 6 Switching between the unfolded positions as shown: when the armrest is folded down to fit against the seat back, it is in the stowed position; when the armrest is extended horizontally for the user to place their arm, it is in the unfolded position.

[0034] The rotating locking plate 22 has an arc-shaped locking surface 221 on the side facing the fixed locking plate 21. The curvature of the arc-shaped locking surface 221 is adapted to the arc shape of the protrusion 211. The elastic element 23 can preferably be a torsion spring, one end of which is engaged and fixed with the bracket body 10, and the other end abuts against the rotating locking plate 22. It can continuously apply an elastic force along the tangent direction of the rotation axis 14 to the rotating locking plate 22. Specifically, when the bracket body 10 needs to be kept in the stored position, the elastic element 23 gradually applies an elastic force to the rotating locking plate 22 through its deformation and restoring action, causing the rotating locking plate 22 to rotate around the rotation axis 14 toward the fixed locking plate 21. As the rotating locking plate 22 rotates, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 gradually approaches the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking plate 21. Since the arc-shaped locking surface 221 has a continuous curved surface structure, its contact with the protrusion 211 is a gradual fit. If the manufacturing gap between the fixed locking plate 21 and the rotating locking plate 22 is large, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 will be driven to fit against the protrusion 211 in a more rearward area along the rotation direction as the rotation angle increases, until the two abut against each other to eliminate the gap. If the gap is small, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 only needs to rotate at a small angle to achieve a tight fit with the protrusion 211. When the arc-shaped locking surface 221 and the protrusion 211 are fully abutted and limited, the rotating locking plate 22 is restricted from further rotation. Then, through the cooperation between the protrusion 211 and the arc-shaped locking surface 221, the gap is eliminated, the bracket body 10 is prevented from shaking, and the car seat center armrest lock 1 is firmly locked in the storage position.

[0035] Therefore, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 on the rotating locking plate 22 provided in this application has a simple shape, small part manufacturing tolerance, and high manufacturing stability; and in the product design process, it allows the parts to be designed as a customized process with negative tolerances, and the fit between the arc-shaped locking surface 221 and the protrusion 211 compensates for the gap, simplifies the requirements of production and manufacturing, and increases the yield rate and efficient production and manufacturing.

[0036] As a preferred embodiment, the center of the arc-shaped locking surface 221 is not concentric with the center of the rotating shaft 14, so that the arc-shaped locking surface 221 has a progressive curvature, and the contact area between the arc-shaped locking surface 221 and the protrusion 211 changes continuously during the rotation of the rotating locking piece 22, so as to generate radial clamping force.

[0037] See details Figure 5 The center of the arc-shaped locking surface 221 is point Q, while the center of the rotating locking plate 22 body rotating around the rotating axis 14 is point P. The center Q is eccentrically positioned relative to the center P. This eccentricity directly gives the arc-shaped locking surface 221 a progressively curved shape relative to the rotating locking plate 22 body. Along the locking direction of the rotating locking plate 22 towards the fixed locking plate 21, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 can be divided into two continuous but differentiated curved surfaces, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the front section of the arc-shaped locking surface 221 is a gentle surface 2211, which is the curved surface section close to the initial position of the rotating locking piece 22. The vertex of the curved surface is close to the center P of the rotating shaft 14. The rear section of the arc-shaped locking surface 221 is a convex surface 2212, which is the curved surface section located behind the gentle surface 2211 along the locking direction. The vertex of the curved surface is far from the center P of the rotating shaft 14.

[0038] Therefore, when the manufacturing gap between the fixed locking plate 21 and the rotating locking plate 22 is large, Figure 7 , Figure 8 For example, there is a manufacturing gap L1 between the arc-shaped locking surface 221 and the protrusion 211. When the bracket body 10 is in the storage position, the elastic element 23 drives the rotating locking plate 22 to rotate around the center P of the rotating shaft 14 toward the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking plate 21 in the X1 direction. Since the initial smooth surface 2211 cannot completely fill the large gap, the rotating locking plate 22 will continue to rotate until the rear section of the arc-shaped locking surface 221 is close to the convex surface 2212 and then contacts the protrusion 211. At this time, the position close to the convex surface 2212 is farther from the center P of the rotating shaft 14, and its radial extension is greater, which can tightly fit the arc-shaped surface of the protrusion 211 to completely fill the gap. Figure 8 As shown; at the same time, because the center P and the center Q are eccentrically set, when the convex surface 2212 on the arc-shaped locking surface 221 contacts the protrusion 211, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 will generate a radial pressing force on the protrusion 211 perpendicular to the tangent of the contact point. This force points radially towards the fixed shaft 13 along the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking piece 21, so that the rotating locking piece 22 and the protrusion 211 form a locking, realizing the self-locking effect after locking, and avoiding loosening caused by gaps.

[0039] Similarly, when the manufacturing gap between the fixed locking plate 21 and the rotating locking plate 22 is small, or when the manufacturing of the fixed locking plate 21 and the rotating locking plate 22 results in an interference fit tolerance due to the assembly structure used in related technologies, when the car seat center armrest lock 1 provided in this application is used, after the elastic element 23 drives the rotating locking plate 22 to rotate by a small angle, the front section of the arc-shaped locking surface 2211 can contact the protrusion 211. Because the surface 2211 is close to the rotating shaft 14, its radial extension is moderate, and it can achieve a tight fit with the protrusion 211 within a small angle rotation range, thereby eliminating the gap and preventing interference fit between the rotating locking plate 22 and the fixed locking plate 21. It can also prevent the armrest from shaking through the radial clamping force generated by the misaligned structure.

[0040] As another preferred option, the direction in which the elastic element 23 drives the rotating locking plate 22 to rotate is consistent with the direction of the external force required when the bracket body 10 switches from the stored position to the unfolded position. When the bracket body 10 rotates from the stored position to the unfolded position under the action of the external force, the inertial force generated by the center of gravity of the bracket body 10 and the restoring force provided by the elastic element 23 to the rotating locking plate 22 work together to continuously press the protrusion 211 against the arc-shaped locking surface 221. The pressing force tends to increase as the bracket body 10 rotates, so as to eliminate the gap between the rotating locking plate 22 and the fixed locking plate 21.

[0041] Referring to Figure 5, the rotation direction of the elastic element 23 driving the rotating locking piece 22 to press against the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking piece 21 is the X1 direction. When the user needs to switch the bracket body 10 from the stored position to the unfolded position, an external force along the X1 direction needs to be applied to the bracket body 10, such as the force acting on the bracket body 10 when manually turning the armrest. When the rotating locking piece 22 disengages from the protrusion 211 in the opposite direction, it can drive the bracket body 10 to rotate around the fixed axis 13 in the X1 direction. When the bracket body 10 is in the stowed position, the elastic force applied by the elastic element 23 along the X1 direction can ensure the locking of the rotating locking plate 22 and the protrusion 211. Considering typical operating conditions during vehicle movement, taking an emergency braking scenario as an example, when a vehicle suddenly brakes, the bracket body 10, due to its own mass, has inertial characteristics, and its center of gravity will generate an inertial force along the X1 direction. This inertial force causes the bracket body 10 to tilt forward relative to the fixed axis 13 along the X1 direction. In the locking mechanism 20 of this application, the rotating locking plate 22... The locking direction is also along the X1 direction, thus forming a positive correlation and synergy between the two. That is, the stronger the inertial forward tilting tendency of the bracket body 10, the more its indirect force on the rotating locking plate 22 is superimposed along the X1 direction. At this time, the restoring force of the elastic element 23 on the rotating locking plate 22 (the continuous force that maintains the contact between the arc-shaped locking surface 221 and the protrusion 211) and the inertial force of the bracket body 10 work together to enable the arc-shaped locking surface 221 of the rotating locking plate 22 to continuously press the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking plate 21 with greater pressure.

[0042] To further explain, when the bracket body 10 is in the stowed position, the locking direction of the rotating locking plate 22 is matched with the forward tilting direction of the bracket body 10 due to inertia, showing a positive correlation. This causes the inertial force, elastic restoring force, and gravity of the rotating locking plate 22 to all point in the locking reinforcement direction, forming a self-locking effect. In contrast, in the handrail lock structure of related technologies, the inertial force generated by sudden braking, bumps, and other conditions of the vehicle is often opposite to the locking direction, which can easily cause the rotating locking plate 22 to accidentally disengage from the locking position, causing the handrail to shake or unlock. However, this structure, through directional coordination design, makes the inertial force a locking reinforcement force. Even under sudden braking conditions, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 can still continuously press against the protrusion 211, effectively avoiding locking failure caused by inertial force and improving driving safety.

[0043] For further optimization, see Figure 4 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 The locking mechanism 20 also includes an unlocking bracket 24, which is coaxially sleeved on the rotating shaft 14 with the rotating locking plate 22 and overlapped with the rotating locking plate 22. The unlocking bracket 24 is provided with an operating part 241, and a transmission part 222 is provided on the rotating locking plate 22. When the operating part 241 is operated to drive the unlocking bracket 24 to rotate, the operating part 241 abuts against the transmission part 222, thereby driving the rotating locking plate 22 to rotate synchronously, thereby unlocking the fixed locking plate 21.

[0044] The operating part 241 is a strip-shaped plate structure that extends radially outward from the center of the unlocking bracket 24. The transmission part 222 provided on the rotating locking plate 22 is also a plate structure. The transmission part 222 is bent at 90 degrees toward the unlocking bracket 24 to form an L-shaped structure, so as to ensure that the operating part 241 and the transmission part 222 can interact and avoid the transmission position being misaligned due to the coaxial sleeve of the unlocking bracket 24 and the rotating locking plate 22.

[0045] In a further preferred embodiment, the unlocking bracket 24 is also provided with a locking part 242. When the bracket body 10 is in the stored position, the locking part 242 abuts against the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking piece 21 to form a double locking structure together with the locking engagement of the rotating locking piece 22 and the fixed locking piece 21. At the same time, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 of the rotating locking piece 22 and the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking piece 21 form an approximate point contact; the locking part 242 of the unlocking bracket 24 and the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking piece 21 form a surface contact.

[0046] The engaging part 242 is an arc-shaped slot structure. It has a concave arc-shaped surface on the side facing the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking piece 21. The arc-shaped surface fits and limits the protrusion 211. The engaging part 242 of the unlocking bracket 24 forms a surface contact with the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking piece 21 through the concave arc-shaped surface. This contact form can disperse the locking pressure, avoid local stress concentration, and provide stable radial support for the bracket body 10. The arc-shaped locking surface 221 of the rotating locking piece 22 forms an approximate point contact with the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking piece 21. Thus, when the bracket body 10 is in the stored position, the above-mentioned double locking structure works together to lock the bracket body 10.

[0047] When the user operates the unlocking bracket 24 to switch the bracket body 10 from the stored position to the unfolded position, the dual locking structure of the unlocking bracket 24 and the rotating locking plate 22 follows the unlocking sequence of first disengaging the engaging part 242 and then disengaging the rotating locking plate 22. Specifically, when the user applies an external force along the X2 direction to the operating part 241 of the unlocking bracket 24, the unlocking bracket 24 rotates around the rotating axis 14. At this time, the engaging part 242 rotates synchronously around the rotating axis 14. Because the engagement part 242 and the protrusion 211 are shallowly fitted, as the unlocking bracket 24 rotates, the concave arc-shaped surface of the engaging part 242 disengages from the protrusion 211 of the fixing locking plate 21, completing the first layer of locking. Continuing to apply external force, the unlocking bracket... The operating part 241 of 24 abuts against the transmission block of the rotating locking piece 22, and drives the rotating locking piece 22 to rotate around the rotating shaft 14 in the X2 direction. After overcoming the elastic force of the elastic element 23, the arc-shaped locking surface 221 completely disengages from the protrusion 211, completing the unlocking of the second lock. After both locks are released, the bracket body 10 can rotate freely around the fixed shaft 13, realizing the switching from the storage position to the unfolded position. Similarly, when the bracket body 10 rotates from the unfolded position to the storage position, when the operating part 241 is released, the elastic element 23 drives the rotating locking piece 22 to reset, and simultaneously pushes the unlocking bracket 24 to reset through the transmission block, so that the engaging part 242 re-contacts the protrusion 211 surface, and the arc-shaped locking surface 221 re-contacts the protrusion 211, restoring the double locking state.

[0048] Preferably, the elastic element 23 is also connected to the unlocking bracket 24, used to drive the unlocking bracket 24 back to its original position, so that the engaging portion 242 abuts against the protrusion 211. Specifically, see... Figure 3 and Figure 4The bracket body 10 includes an upper bracket plate 11 and a lower bracket plate 12 arranged opposite to each other. The locking piece 21 is fixed by inserting a self-lubricating bushing into the fixing shaft 13, allowing the bracket body 10 to self-lubricate when rotating relative to the fixing shaft 13. Simultaneously, a plastic gasket is added between the upper bracket plate 11, the lower bracket plate 12, and the locking piece 21 to prevent friction noise between the locking piece and the bracket plate, or between metal parts. Preferably, the elastic element 23 includes a first elastic element 231 and a second elastic element 232. The first elastic element 231 and the second elastic element 232 are also preferably... A torsion spring is selected; one end of the first elastic element 231 is connected to the upper support plate 11, and the other end is connected to the rotating locking plate 22. When the rotating locking plate 22 is rotated by force to unlock, the first elastic element 231 deforms to provide a restoring force to the rotating locking plate 22 in the locking direction; one end of the second elastic element 232 is connected to the lower support plate 12, and the other end is connected to the unlocking bracket 24. When the user operates the unlocking bracket 24 to drive the rotating locking plate 22 to perform the unlocking operation, the second elastic element 232 deforms to provide a restoring force to the unlocking bracket 24 in the locking direction.

[0049] The stiffness parameters of the first elastic element 231 and the second elastic element 232 can be independently designed according to the functional requirements of the rotating locking plate 22 and the unlocking bracket 24. The rotating locking plate 22 needs sufficient reset force to ensure the gap compensation and radial pressing of the arc-shaped locking surface 221. The unlocking bracket 24 needs moderate reset force to balance the locking reliability and the ease of user operation. The first elastic element 231 and the second elastic element 232 are set separately so that they can be matched with the force requirements of the two respectively, thereby improving the functional accuracy of each component.

[0050] Meanwhile, the first elastic element 231 and the second elastic element 232 work independently. If the second elastic element 232 breaks, the first elastic element 231 can still maintain the basic function of the corresponding component. That is, the first elastic element 231 can continue to drive the rotating locking piece 22 to fit with the fixed locking piece 21, ensuring the basic locking of the bracket body 10. Conversely, after the first elastic element 231 fails, the second elastic element 232 can maintain the abutment of the engaging part 242 and provide temporary locking protection, thereby significantly improving the fault tolerance capability of the car seat center armrest lock 1 in this application.

[0051] Furthermore, the upper support plate 11 and lower support plate 12 of the bracket body 10 provide independent installation space for the first elastic element 231 and the second elastic element 232. The first elastic element 231 is assembled between the upper support plate 11 and the rotating locking piece 22, and the second elastic element 232 is assembled between the lower support plate 12 and the unlocking bracket 24. The two are arranged in layers along the rotation axis 14, which can effectively avoid spatial interference when a single elastic element 23 is connected to both at the same time.

[0052] In a further preferred embodiment, the device also includes an isolating element 30, which is sleeved on the rotating shaft 14 and located between the rotating locking plate 22 and the unlocking bracket 24. The contact surfaces of the isolating element 30, the rotating locking plate 22, and the unlocking bracket 24 are all smooth planes, so that the rotating locking plate 22 can rotate relative to the isolating element 30 and the unlocking bracket 24 can rotate relative to the isolating element 30. The isolating element 30 can effectively prevent unexpected linkage and rotation between the rotating locking plate 22 and the unlocking bracket 24.

[0053] Preferably, there is a free travel distance between the operating part 241 of the unlocking bracket 24 and the transmission part 222 of the rotating locking plate 22. Within the free travel distance, when the operating part 241 drives the unlocking bracket 24 to rotate, the operating part 241 and the transmission part 222 do not come into contact or abut. At this stage, only the locking part 242 of the unlocking bracket 24 and the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking plate 21 are separated. When the operating part 241 passes the free travel distance, it forms a substantial transmission abutment with the transmission part 222, thereby driving the rotating locking plate 22 to rotate synchronously, realizing the disengagement and unlocking of the rotating locking plate 22 from the fixed locking plate 21.

[0054] Therefore, during the positional change of a complete support body 10 from the storage position to the deployment position, see [reference needed]. Figure 5 and Figure 6 The specific operating procedure is as follows:

[0055] The user applies an external force along the X2 direction to the operating part 241 of the unlocking bracket 24. This external force must overcome the restoring force of the second elastic element 232 to drive the unlocking bracket 24 to rotate around the rotation axis 14 in the X2 direction. During this stage, the unlocking bracket 24 is within the free stroke range, and the operating part 241 has no contact with the transmission part 222 of the rotating locking plate 22. Only the unlocking bracket 24 moves independently. As the unlocking bracket 24 rotates to the end of the free stroke, its engaging part 242 completely disengages from the protrusion 211 of the fixing locking plate 21, and the first layer of locking in the double locking is released. Continuing to apply an external force in the X2 direction to the operating part 241, the unlocking bracket... When the rotation angle exceeds the idle travel range, the operating part 241 and the transmission part 222 form substantial contact to drive the rotating locking piece 22 to rotate synchronously along the X2 direction around the rotating shaft 14. During this process, the external force needs to overcome the deformation and restoring force of the second elastic element 232 and the locking and restoring force of the first elastic element 231 at the same time. As the rotating locking piece 22 rotates, its arc-shaped locking surface 221 gradually disengages from the protrusion 211 of the fixed locking piece 21, and the second layer of locking in the double locking is completely released. At this time, the bracket body 10 is no longer constrained by the locking mechanism 20 and can rotate around the fixed shaft 13 along the X1 direction until it is switched to the unfolded position.

[0056] At the same time, on the side of the fixed locking plate 21, such as Figure 3 , Figure 5As shown, a fixing pin 15 is also provided between the upper support plate 11 and the lower support plate 12 to fix the upper support plate 11 and the lower support plate 12, thereby ensuring the consistency of movement of the support body 10, the unlocking bracket 24 and the rotating locking plate 22 during the orientation switching process; a limiting pin 40 is also provided between the upper support plate 11 and the lower support plate 12, and a first locking tooth 212 and a second locking tooth 213 are provided on the fixing locking plate 21 at the position corresponding to the limiting pin 40. The limiting pin 40 is also a cylindrical metal part, which is vertically fixed between the upper support plate 11 and the lower support plate 12; the first locking tooth 212 and the second locking tooth 213 are arc-shaped protrusions integrally formed on the fixing locking plate 21. The first locking tooth 212 is located at the position of the fixing locking plate 21 corresponding to the position of the support body 10 in the storage position, and the second locking tooth 213 is located at the position corresponding to the position of the unfolded position. The tooth surfaces of the two locking teeth face the movement trajectory of the limiting pin 40.

[0057] When the support body 10 is in the stowed position, the limiting pin 40 contacts and abuts against the first locking tooth 212 of the fixing plate 21. The tooth surface of the first locking tooth 212 will prevent the limiting pin 40 from moving in the X2 direction, thereby limiting the backward tilting of the support body 10 around the fixing axis 13 to avoid the armrest tilting and swaying in the stowed position. When the support body 10 rotates from the stowed position to the unfolded position in the X1 direction, the limiting pin 40 rotates synchronously with the whole unit around the fixing axis 13. When the support body 10 reaches the preset position of the unfolded position, the limiting pin 40 contacts and abuts against the second locking tooth 213 of the fixing plate 21. If the user continues to apply external force in the X1 direction, the tooth surface of the second locking tooth 213 will prevent the limiting pin 40 from continuing to move in the X1 direction, thereby limiting the forward tilting of the support body 10 to ensure that the armrest position is stable in the unfolded position and convenient for user use.

[0058] The basic principles, main features, and advantages of this application have been described above. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely the principles of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made to this application without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claims. The scope of protection claimed by this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A lock for the center armrest of a car seat, characterized in that, include: The support body can be located in either a storage position or an unfolded position. The support body is provided with a fixed shaft and a rotating shaft. A locking mechanism is connected to the bracket body. The locking mechanism includes a fixed locking plate, a rotating locking plate, and an elastic element. The fixed locking plate is fixedly connected to the fixed shaft and cannot rotate relative to the fixed shaft. The fixed locking plate is provided with a protrusion. The rotating locking plate is connected to the rotating shaft and can rotate relative to the rotating shaft. When the rotating locking plate rotates away from the fixed locking plate, the bracket body can rotate relative to the fixed shaft to switch between the storage position and the unfolded position. The rotating locking plate has an arc-shaped locking surface, and the elastic element is connected to the rotating locking plate. When the bracket body is in the stored position, the elastic element gradually applies force to the rotating locking plate to gradually fill the gap between the rotating locking plate and the fixed locking plate through the arc-shaped locking surface. Then, the arc-shaped locking surface abuts against the protrusion to limit the bracket body from rotating around the fixed axis. The locking mechanism further includes an unlocking bracket, which is coaxially sleeved on the rotating shaft with the rotating locking piece and overlapped with the rotating locking piece; The unlocking bracket is provided with an operating part, and a transmission part is provided on the rotating lock piece. When the operating part is operated to drive the unlocking bracket to rotate, the operating part abuts against the transmission part, thereby driving the rotating lock piece to rotate synchronously, thereby unlocking the fixed lock piece. The unlocking bracket is also provided with a locking part. When the bracket body is in the stored position, the locking part abuts against the protrusion of the fixed locking piece to form a double locking structure together with the locking engagement of the rotating locking piece and the fixed locking piece.

2. The car seat center armrest lock as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The center of the arc-shaped locking surface is not concentric with the center of the rotating shaft, so that the contact area between the arc-shaped locking surface and the protrusion changes continuously during the rotation of the rotating locking plate, thereby generating radial clamping force.

3. The car seat center armrest lock as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The direction in which the elastic element drives the rotating locking piece to rotate is consistent with the direction of the external force required when the bracket body switches from the storage position to the unfolded position. When the bracket body is rotated from the stored position to the unfolded position under the action of external force, the inertial force generated by the center of gravity of the bracket body and the restoring force provided by the elastic element to the rotating locking plate together cause the arc-shaped locking surface to continuously press the protrusion.

4. The car seat center armrest lock as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The engaging portion of the unlocking bracket and the protruding portion of the fixing lock piece form a surface contact.

5. The car seat center armrest lock as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic element is also connected to the unlocking bracket, and is used to drive the unlocking bracket back to its original position so that the locking part abuts against the protrusion.

6. The car seat center armrest lock as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an isolating element, which is sleeved on the rotating shaft and located between the rotating locking piece and the unlocking bracket; The contact surfaces of the isolating member, the rotating locking plate, and the unlocking bracket are all smooth planes, so that the rotating locking plate can rotate relative to the isolating member, and the unlocking bracket can rotate relative to the isolating member.

7. The car seat center armrest lock as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The support body includes an upper support plate and a lower support plate arranged opposite to each other; The elastic element includes a first elastic element and a second elastic element; One end of the first elastic element is connected to the upper support plate, and the other end is connected to the rotating locking piece. When the rotating locking piece is rotated by force to unlock, the first elastic element deforms to provide a restoring force to the rotating locking piece in the locking direction. One end of the second elastic element is connected to the lower support plate, and the other end is connected to the unlocking bracket. When the user operates the unlocking bracket to drive the rotating lock plate to perform the unlocking operation, the second elastic element deforms to provide a restoring force to the unlocking bracket in the locking direction.

8. The car seat center armrest lock as described in claim 1, characterized in that, There is a pre-set free stroke between the operating part of the unlocking bracket and the transmission part of the rotating lock piece; Within the range of the idle stroke, when the operating part is operated to drive the unlocking bracket to rotate, the operating part and the transmission part do not come into contact or abut each other.

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