Pawl connector for glove box latch

A vehicle glove box latch for a vehicle glove box, the vehicle glove box latch comprising:

• an actuator configured to be mounted for movement relative to the vehicle glove box;
• a rotor coupled to the actuator and configured to be mounted for rotation relative to the vehicle glove box about a rotor axis;
• and
• a pawl coupled to the rotor and having opposing ends, the pawl being movable along a pawl axis angled relative to the rotor axis, one end of the opposing ends of the pawl including an engagement portion configured to be engaged with an opening in a vehicle in which the vehicle glove box is mounted, and another end of the opposing ends of the pawl including a coupling portion positioned for coupling the pawl to the rotor, the pawl being movable along the pawl axis between a latched position and an unlatched position;
• the coupling portion of the pawl defining a recess open in a recess direction angled relative to the pawl axis and angled relative to the rotor axis;
• the rotor having a detent extending in a direction of the rotor axis and into the recess defined by the coupling portion of the pawl, the rotor also having a retainer spaced from the detent and extending in a direction transverse to the rotor axis;
• wherein the recess defined by the coupling portion of the pawl is shaped to receive the detent of the rotor and to resist unintended separation of the detent of the rotor from the recess in the recess direction;
• and
• wherein the retainer of the rotor is positioned to limit movement of the coupling portion of the pawl in the direction of the rotor axis and to resist unintended separation of the coupling portion of the pawl from the detent of the rotor in the direction of the rotor axis;
• wherein the coupling portion of the pawl has a tapered thickness such that a distance between the coupling portion of the pawl and the contact surface of the retainer is greater in the unlatched position of the pawl relative to a distance between the coupling portion of the pawl and the contact surface of the retainer in the latched position of the pawl.

A vehicle glove box latch for a vehicle glove box, the vehicle glove box latch comprising:

• an actuator configured to be mounted for movement relative to the vehicle glove box;
• a rotor coupled to the actuator and configured to be mounted for rotation relative to the vehicle glove box about a rotor axis;
• and
• a pawl coupled to the rotor and having opposing ends, the pawl being movable along a pawl axis angled relative to the rotor axis, one end of the opposing ends of the pawl including an engagement portion configured to be engaged with an opening in a vehicle in which the vehicle glove box is mounted, and another end of the opposing ends of the pawl including a coupling portion positioned for coupling the pawl to the rotor;
• the coupling portion of the pawl defining a recess open in a recess direction angled relative to the pawl axis and angled relative to the rotor axis;
• the rotor having a detent extending in a direction of the rotor axis and into the recess defined by the coupling portion of the pawl, the rotor also having a retainer spaced from the detent and extending in a direction transverse to the rotor axis;
• wherein the recess defined by the coupling portion of the pawl is shaped to receive the detent of the rotor and to resist unintended separation of the detent of the rotor from the recess in the recess direction;
• and
• wherein the retainer of the rotor is positioned to limit movement of the coupling portion of the pawl in the direction of the rotor axis and to resist unintended separation of the coupling portion of the pawl from the detent of the rotor in the direction of the rotor axis;
• wherein the coupling portion of the pawl has a rounded surface positioned for contact with the rotor, thereby reducing the area of direct contact between the pawl and the rotor, and wherein a surface of the recess of the coupling portion of the pawl is rounded to reduce the area of direct contact between the recess of the coupling portion of the pawl and the detent of the rotor.

A method for assembling a vehicle latch assembly, the method comprising:

• orienting a pawl relative to a rotor such that the pawl is movable along a pawl axis angled relative to a rotor axis, one end of the opposing ends of the pawl including an engagement portion configured to be engaged with an opening in a vehicle in which the vehicle glove box is mounted, and another end of the opposing ends of the pawl including a coupling portion positioned for coupling the pawl to the rotor;
• orienting the coupling portion of the pawl with a recess open in a recess direction angled relative to the pawl axis and angled relative to the rotor axis;
• extending a retainer of the rotor in a direction transverse to the rotor axis;
• receiving a detent of the rotor in the recess defined by the coupling portion of the pawl by exertion of an insertion force, the recess having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the detent, resisting unintended separation of the detent of the rotor from the recess in the recess direction, and permitting intended separation of the detent of the rotor from the recess by exertion of a separation force opposite the insertion force;
• positioning the retainer of the rotor to limit movement of the coupling portion of the pawl in the direction of the rotor axis and resist unintended separation of the coupling portion of the pawl from the detent of the rotor in the direction of the rotor axis;
• thereby resisting unintended separation of the pawl from the rotor in the direction of the rotor axis and in the recess direction angled relative to the rotor axis.