Vehicle Armrest Console Locking Mechanism for Vibration Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing sliding armrest console in vehicles is prone to accidental position changes due to vibrations or weight, making it difficult for users to open the console box when the armrest is slid forward, leading to operational challenges and potential noise or injury.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus with a console body, an opening/closing plate, and a sliding cover, featuring a locking lever and unlocking unit that includes a manipulation lever, hook lever, and interlocking lever, allowing for simultaneous unlocking and sliding operations, preventing accidental position changes and enabling easy access to the console box.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the armrest is opened without completely sliding backwards, then access to console box is enabled, but the armrest may fall due to weight or vibrations causing noise or injury

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsole box access speedVSAvoidarmrest position stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary locking actions through two separate locking levers that secure both the armrest position and console box before opening. The first locking lever locks the armrest to the console body, and the second locking lever locks the console box to the armrest, ensuring stability is established before any opening motion occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The dual locking lever system provides beforehand cushioning by preparing two independent locking mechanisms that prevent accidental opening. The first locking lever prevents the armrest from moving relative to the console body, while the second locking lever prevents the console box from opening, cushioning against the harmful effects of vibrations and weight that would otherwise cause accidental opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Device complexity

If a single locking unit is used for both armrest and console box, then device complexity is reduced, but operational reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking mechanism structureVSAvoidlocking/unlocking reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism is segmented into two distinct locking levers with separate functions: the first locking lever controls the armrest position relative to the console body, while the second locking lever controls the console box relative to the armrest. This segmentation increases operational reliability by ensuring each component can be independently secured or released without interfering with the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9956894B2Apparatus for opening and closing sliding armrest console

Publication Date: 2018.05.01 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

An apparatus for opening and closing an armrest is provided. After an armrest is slid to a position, the position of the armrest is selectively locked or unlocked using an armrest locking unit to thus prevent the weight of the armrest or vibrations of a vehicle from accidentally changing the position of the armrest against the intention of the user. The operation of unlocking the opening/closing plate from the console body and the operation of unlocking the sliding cover from the opening/closing plate are performed simultaneously with a single unlocking manipulation to allow a user to rapidly and conveniently perform the operations of opening/closing and sliding the armrest.