Low Profile Seat Position Adjustment System

• US 20120318949A1
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milsco, LLC (Jason Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Braun
• Inventors: Braun, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 9,216,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/429
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01575 key sliding inside the vehicle floor or rail
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/07 Slide construction
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0702 characterised by its cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/075 roller-less
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0825 outside the rail
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/085 about a transversal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/38 specially constructed for use on tractors or like off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/093 using sinusoidal excitation models

Abstract

A seat position adjustment assembly including an anchor plate from which a plurality of slide bearings extend slidably received in guide slots formed in a slide plate enabling seat position adjustment and which can also function as a seat mount. Each bearing includes a slide bearing having a slide plate receiving channel and a retainer engagement channel receiving a keeper disposed between the anchor and slide plates anchoring the slide bearing to the anchor plate. Each keeper releasably engages the slide bearing, can straddle the bearing, can function as a spacer spacing the slide plate from the anchor plate, and can function as an upholstery retainer clip that holds part of an outer cover against the anchor plate. A seat latch arrangement can be disposed between the anchor and slide plates releasably retaining a seat removably coupled by the slide bearings to the slide plate in a desired seat position.

Claims

1. A seat position adjustment assembly comprising:

an anchor plate;

a slide bearing extending outwardly from the anchor plate; and

a slide plate having an elongate seat position guide slot formed therein slidably receiving part of the slide bearing.

2. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 1 wherein the guide slot formed in the slide plate is defined by a pair of opposed slot defining edges and wherein the slide bearing comprises a slide plate receiving channel that receives one of the slot defining edges of the slide plate when the head is slidably received in the guide slot.

3. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 2 wherein the anchor plate has a hole formed therein and wherein the slide bearing comprises a retainer base from which a head extends outwardly with the retainer base abutting against one side of the anchor plate and the head extending through the hole outwardly beyond the other side of the anchor plate.

4. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 3 wherein the hole has a non-circular shape and wherein a part of the head disposed in the hole has a generally non-circular cross section substantially complementary to the non-circular shape of the hole preventing rotation of the slide bearing relative to the anchor plate.

5. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 4 wherein the hole is generally rectangular and wherein the part of the head received in the hole has a generally rectangular cross section substantially complementary to the generally rectangular shape of the hole.

6. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 5 wherein a part of the head extending outwardly from the hole is elongated in a direction of seat position adjustment.

7. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 6 wherein the part of the head extending outwardly from the hole is elongated in a fore-aft direction.

8. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 5 wherein a part of the head extending outwardly from the hole is elongated in a direction generally parallel to the slide plate receiving channel.

9. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 1 further comprising a slide bearing keeper engaging the slide bearing releasably attaching the slide bearing to the anchor plate.

10. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 9 wherein the slide bearing keeper is configured to produce snap fit engagement with the slide bearing.

11. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 9 wherein the slide bearing keeper straddles the slide bearing.

12. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 9 wherein the slide bearing keeper is disposed between the anchor plate and the slide plate.

13. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 12 wherein the anchor plate comprises a seat bottom.

14. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 12 wherein the slide bearing keeper comprises a spacer that spaces the slide plate from the anchor plate.

15. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 12 wherein the slide bearing keeper (a) is generally parallel to the anchor plate and the slide plate, and (b) comprises a bearing surface against which the slide plate slidably contacts.

16. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 12 further comprising a layer of upholstery disposed against the anchor plate and wherein the slide bearing keeper engages the slide bearing between the layer of upholstery and the slide plate comprising an upholstery retainer clip holding the layer of upholstery against the anchor plate.

17. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 1 wherein the slide bearing comprises a retainer base abutting against one side of the anchor plate and a head extending outwardly from the retainer base through the hole outwardly beyond the other side of the anchor plate and further comprising a slide bearing keeper disposed between the anchor plate and slide plate engaging the head anchoring the slide bearing to the anchor plate.

18. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 1 further comprising a slide bearing keeper engaging the slide bearing, wherein the guide slot formed in the slide plate is defined by a pair of opposed slot defining edges, wherein the slide bearing has an elongate slide plate receiving channel formed therein receiving one of the slot defining edges of the slide plate, and wherein the slide bearing has a retainer engagement channel formed therein that receives part of the slide bearing keeper.

19. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 18 wherein the slide plate receiving channel is disposed at an angle relative to the retainer engagement channel.

20. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 19 wherein the slide plate receiving channel is generally transverse to the retainer engagement channel.

21. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 18 wherein the slide bearing has a pair of generally parallel retainer engagement channels and the slide bearing keeper straddles the slide bearing having one portion received in one of the retainer engagement channels and having another portion received in the other one of the retainer engagement channels.

22. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 21 wherein the slide bearing keeper has a pair of spaced apart and generally parallel arms with one of the arms received in one of the retainer engagement channels and the other one of the arms received in the other one of the retainer engagement channels.

23. A slide bearing for a seat position adjustment assembly having a seat bottom from which the slide bearing extends outwardly slidably engaging a slide plate, the slide bearing comprising a head having an elongate slide plate receiving channel formed therein.

24. The slide bearing of claim 23 further comprising a slide bearing keeper in releasable engagement with the head of the slide bearing.

25. The slide bearing of claim 24 wherein the slide bearing keeper straddles the head of the slide bearing.

26. The slide bearing of claim 25 wherein the slide bearing keeper is configured for snap fit engagement with the head of the slide bearing.

27. The slide bearing of claim 24 wherein the head of the slide bearing has a retainer engagement channel formed therein disposed at an angle to the slide plate receiving channel and wherein part of the slide bearing keeper is received in the retainer engagement channel.

28. The slide bearing of claim 27 wherein the retainer engagement channel is generally perpendicular to the slide plate receiving channel.

29. The slide bearing of claim 28 wherein the slide bearing keeper is configured for snap fit engagement with the head of the slide bearing.

30. The slide bearing of claim 24 wherein the head of the slide bearing has a pair of spaced apart retainer engagement channels formed therein disposed at an angle to the slide plate receiving channel and wherein one portion of the slide bearing keeper is received in one of the retainer engagement channels and another portion of the slide bearing keeper is received in the other one of the retainer engagement channels.

31. The slide bearing of claim 30 wherein the slide bearing keeper is configured for snap fit engagement with the head of the slide bearing.

32. The slide bearing of claim 23 wherein the head is elongated in a direction generally parallel to the slide plate receiving channel.

33. The slide bearing of claim 32 wherein the head has a pair of elongate, spaced apart, elongate, and generally parallel slide plate receiving channels formed therein that each extend generally parallel to the slide plate receiving channel.

34. The slide bearing of claim 33 wherein the head is elongated generally in a fore-aft direction and the slide plate receiving channel extends generally in a fore-aft direction.

35. A seat position adjustment assembly comprising:

an anchor plate having a plurality of spaced apart openings formed therein;

a plurality of slide bearings, each slide bearing extending outwardly from a corresponding hole in the anchor plate;

a slide plate having a plurality of elongate seat position guide slots formed therein each slidably receiving a corresponding slide bearing; and

a plurality of slide bearing keepers, each keeper engaging a corresponding slide bearing between the anchor plate and the slide plate.

36. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 35 wherein each slide bearing keeper snaps onto the corresponding slide bearing.

37. The seat position adjustment assembly of claim 36 wherein each slide bearing keeper straddles the corresponding slide bearing.