Headliner mounted center high mount stop lamp (chmsl)

Abstract

A console sliding armrest assembly for a vehicle includes a storage compartment having an opening for allowing ingress and egress of objects, and a console lid pivotally connected to the storage compartment. The lid may include a sliding armrest operatively engaged therewith. A guide assembly may be disposed within the lid for guiding the armrest, and may include a slider frame connected to the armrest. A guide plate may be connected to the lid for supporting the armrest, and a rail may be secured in the slider frame. The guide plate may be slidably engaged with the rail for allowing sliding movement of the armrest. A spring may be disposed between the slider frame and the rail, and may be engaged to either the slider frame or the rail for biasing the rail against the guide plate, and for thereby regulating tension in the guide assembly.

1 . A console sliding armrest assembly for a vehicle, said assembly comprising: 
 a storage compartment having an opening for allowing ingress and egress of objects;    a console lid pivotally connected to said storage compartment for substantially covering said storage compartment opening in a closed position and for otherwise allowing ingress and egress of objects in an open position, said console lid including a sliding armrest operatively engaged therewith and movable between extended and retracted positions; and    a guide assembly disposed substantially within said console lid, said guide assembly securely guiding said sliding armrest between said extended and retracted positions, and including:    a slider frame connected to said sliding armrest;    a guide plate connected to said console lid for providing vertical support and lateral stability to said sliding armrest;    at least one rail secured to said slider frame, said rail being slidably engaged with said guide plate for thereby allowing sliding movement of said armrest between said extended and retracted positions; and    at least one spring disposed between said slider frame and said rail, said spring being engaged to either said slider frame or said rail for biasing said rail against said guide plate, said spring thereby regulating tension between said slider frame, said rail and said guide plate during movement of said sliding armrest.    
   
   
       2 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said rail includes a substantially “C” shaped channel for receiving an end of said guide plate.  
   
   
       3 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said slider frame includes at least one substantially “C” shaped channel for receiving said rail, said channel defines a substantially sealed cavity for protecting said rail and said spring from environmental elements.  
   
   
       4 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said rail is made of Acetyl.  
   
   
       5 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a resilient arm connected adjacent a forward end of said console lid, said arm including a detent engageable with at least one catch on a secondary plate mounted to or formed with said guide plate for limiting sliding movement of said armrest in said extended and retracted positions.  
   
   
       6 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said guide plate forms a hinge arm for pivotally connecting said console lid to said storage compartment.  
   
   
       7 . A sliding armrest assembly for a vehicle, said assembly comprising: 
 a storage compartment having an opening for allowing ingress and egress of objects;    a compartment lid pivotally connected to said storage compartment and disposable between opened and closed positions, said compartment lid including an armrest operatively engaged therewith and slidably movable between extended and retracted positions; and    a guide assembly disposed substantially within said compartment lid, said guide assembly securely guiding said armrest between said extended and retracted positions, and including:    a slider frame connected to said armrest;    a guide plate connected to said compartment lid for providing vertical support and lateral stability to said armrest;    at least one rail secured to said slider frame, said rail being slidably engaged with said guide plate for thereby allowing sliding movement of said armrest between said extended and retracted positions; and    at least one biasing means disposed between said slider frame and said rail, said biasing means being engaged to either said slider frame or said rail for biasing said rail against said guide plate, said biasing means thereby regulating tension between said slider frame, said rail and said guide plate during sliding movement of said armrest.    
   
   
       8 . An assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein said rail includes a substantially “C” shaped channel for receiving an end of said guide plate.  
   
   
       9 . An assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein said slider frame includes at least one substantially “C” shaped channel for receiving said rail, said channel defines a substantially sealed cavity for protecting said rail and said biasing means from environmental elements.  
   
   
       10 . An assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein said rail is made of Acetyl.  
   
   
       11 . An assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein said biasing means is at least one of a coil spring and a leaf spring.  
   
   
       12 . An assembly according to  claim 7 , further comprising a resilient arm connected adjacent a forward end of said compartment lid, said arm including a detent engageable with at least one catch on a secondary plate mounted to or formed with said guide plate for limiting sliding movement of said armrest in said extended and retracted positions.  
   
   
       13 . An assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein said guide plate forms a hinge arm for pivotally connecting said compartment lid to said storage compartment.  
   
   
       14 . A method of securely guiding a console sliding armrest for a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: 
 pivotally connecting a console lid to a console storage compartment, said console lid being disposable between opened and closed positions for allowing ingress and egress of objects from said storage compartment;    operatively engaging an armrest to said console lid, said armrest being slidably movable between extended and retracted positions relative to said storage compartment;    connecting a slider frame to said armrest;    connecting a guide plate to said console lid for providing vertical support and lateral stability to said armrest;    securing at least one rail to said slider frame, said rail being slidably engaged with said guide plate for thereby allowing sliding movement of said armrest between said extended and retracted positions;    connecting a spring to either said slider frame or said rail for biasing said rail against said guide plate, said spring thereby regulating tension between said slider frame, said rail and said guide plate during sliding movement of said armrest; and    guiding said armrest between said extended and retracted positions.    
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein said spring is at least one of a coil spring and a leaf spring.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of connecting a resilient arm adjacent a forward end of said console lid, said arm including a detent engageable with at least one catch on a secondary plate mounted to or formed with said guide plate for limiting sliding movement of said armrest in said extended and retracted positions.  
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of engaging an end of said guide plate with a substantially “C” shaped channel in said rail.  
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of disposing said rail in a substantially “C” shaped channel in said slider frame, said channel defining a substantially sealed cavity for protecting said rail and said spring from environmental elements.  
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein said rail is made of Acetyl.  
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein said spring enables regulation of sliding force required for guiding said armrest between said extended and retracted positions, said force being regulated to between approximately 6-13 N for sliding movement and less than approximately 23 N for initial movement of said armrest.