Armrest inertial latch having anti-reverse lock for absorbing dynamic oscillation during vehicle impact

A vehicle seat comprising:

• a base having a seat pivot, a latch pivot and a guide pivot;
• a seatback rotationally operable about the seat pivot between a plurality of rotational positions;
• a securing pin attached to the seatback and operable about the seat pivot;
• and
• a latching assembly that includes an inertial latch that operates about the latch pivot and a guide latch that operates about the guide pivot, wherein the inertial latch and the guide latch are biased toward one another and slidably operate against one another between an idle position and a deployed position, wherein the guide latch includes a notch surface that selectively retains the inertial latch in the idle position distal from the securing pin and, in response to an opposing directional biasing force, secures the inertial latch in the deployed position that places the inertial latch into selective engagement with a top portion of the securing pin and holding the seatback in a selected position of the plurality of rotational positions, wherein the notch surface includes an idle notch and a deployed notch, wherein the inertial latch slidably operates in response to the opposing directional biasing force from the idle notch to the deployed notch.

A method for operating a seatback for a seat assembly of a vehicle comprising steps of:

• placing an inertial latch within an idle position relative to a guide latch;
• positioning the seatback in a selected position of a plurality of rotational positions that locates a securing pin within an offset;
• applying an opposing directional force that biases the inertial latch to a deployed position;
• rotating the inertial latch to the deployed position wherein the inertial latch slides along a notch surface of the guide latch to a deployed notch;
• retaining the inertial latch in the deployed notch to maintain the inertial latch in the deployed position;
• applying residual oscillating forces subsequently resulting from the opposing directional biasing force, wherein the inertial latch remains within the deployed position.