Track release mechanism for a seating assembly

• US 10,308,146 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2018
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kish, Joseph Michael, Aktas, Macit
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Rodney B
• Application Number:
  US15/880,176
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 297331, 297334, 297335, 297336, 297341, 29737812, 29737814
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/045 Longitudinal adjustment by means of articulated rods supporting the seat, e.g. parallelogram mechanisms B60N2/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/12 slidable and tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/943 Stepwise movement mechanisms, e.g. ratchets
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/967 the locking system prevents tilt of whole seat by retaining and locking the seat in a vertical storage position

Abstract

A seating assembly comprises a seat base operably coupled to a track assembly, a latch assembly, and a release bar including a front bar and a rear bar and configured to allow fore and aft movement of the seat base along the track assembly when a curve of the rear bar is depressed by the release cam. The latch assembly comprises a striker plate coupled to the track assembly, a dual cam latch configured to engage with a striker pin, and a sector arm that includes a pivot operably coupled to a release cam and the striker plate.

Claims

1. A seating assembly comprising:

a seat base operably coupled to a track assembly;

a latch assembly comprising;

a striker plate coupled to the track assembly;

a dual cam latch configured to engage with the striker plate; and

a sector arm that includes a pivot operably coupled to a release cam and a striker pin; and

a release bar including a front bar and a rear bar and configured to allow fore and aft movement of the seat base along the track assembly when a curve of the rear bar is depressed by the release cam.

2. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the dual cam latch is operable between a locked position and an unlocked position.

3. The seating assembly of claim 2, wherein the release cam is rotatable between an engaged position corresponding with the unlocked position of the dual cam latch and a disengaged position corresponding with the locked position of the dual cam latch.

4. The seating assembly of claim 3, wherein the release cam includes a foot configured to contact the curve of the rear bar when the release cam is rotated into the activated position.

5. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the rear bar is operably coupled to a release spring, and further wherein the release spring is configured to allow fore and aft movement of the seat base relative to the track assembly when the rear bar is actuated.

6. A seating assembly comprising:

a seat base;

a striker plate operably coupled to a track assembly;

a latch assembly comprising;

a sector arm defining a first pivot axis aligned with the seat base and a second pivot axis aligned with a pin of the striker plate; and

a release cam aligned along the second pivot axis; and

a release bar extending below the seat base along the track assembly and actuatable by the release cam.

7. The seating assembly of claim 6, wherein the release bar includes a front portion and a rear portion operably coupled by a joining spring.

8. The seating assembly of claim 7, wherein the rear portion of the release bar is depressed by the release cam when the release cam is rotated into an engaged position.

9. The seating assembly of claim 7, wherein the front portion of the release bar is operably coupled to the rear portion so that the front portion raises when the rear portion is actuated by the release cam.

10. The seating assembly of claim 7, wherein a release spring is actuated by the lowering of the rear portion to allow the seat base to move in a fore and aft direction.

11. A seating assembly comprising:

a latch assembly including a sector arm;

a release cam coupled to the sector arm; and

a release bar including a front portion operably coupled to a rear portion and

configured to allow fore and aft movement of a seat base along a track assembly, wherein the rear portion is lowered by the release cam, and further wherein a striker plate is operably coupled to the track assembly.

12. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the sector arm defines a first pivot aperture and a second pivot aperture, and further wherein the sector arm is operably coupled to the seat base at the first pivot aperture and is operably coupled to the striker plate at the second pivot aperture.

13. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the latch assembly is engageable with a striker pin.

14. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the release cam is operable between an engaged position and a disengaged position.

15. The seating assembly of claim 14, wherein the seat base is movable in a fore and aft direction when the release cam is in an engaged position.

16. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the rear portion of the release bar includes a curve configured to be lowered by a foot of the release cam when the release cam is in the engaged position.

17. The seating assembly of claim 16, wherein a release spring is engaged by the rear portion when the rear portion is lowered, and further wherein the engagement of the release spring releases the track assembly.

18. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the front portion of the release bar is operably coupled to the rear portion by a joining spring.

19. The seating assembly of claim 18, wherein the rear portion is configured to lower to contact a release spring when the front portion is raised.