Fore and aft adjustment and isolation assembly
First Claim
1. A fore and aft isolator assembly for a suspended vehicle seat comprising a top seat support frame adapted to be attached to the bottom of the seat upper, a bottom frame adapted to be attached to the top of the seat suspension, an intermediate frame mounted between said top and bottom frame for selective fore and aft movement relative to either of said top and bottom frames, the movement of said intermediate frame relative to one of said top and bottom frames being resiliently resisted in an "isolation" mode in both a fore and aft direction by resilient biasing means, an adjusting shaft mounted on said top frame for non-axial, rotary movement, said adjusting shaft having a handle on its forward end and first and second locking members mounted intermediate its ends, said first locking member being positively fixed to said shaft for selective rotation therewith into or out of locking engagement with at least one of a series of fore and aft positioned teeth on said bottom frame to lock or unlock said bottom frame to said top frame, said second locking member being mounted on said shaft for selective rotation into or out of locking engagement with at least one of a series of fore and aft positioned teeth on said intermediate frame, said adjusting shaft being rotatable by said handle between a first "lockout" position in which both of said first and second locking members are engaged to lock all of the frames together, a second "isolate" position in which only said second locking member is engaged so that said intermediate frame is locked to said top frame for movement therewith relative to said bottom frame against said resilient biasing means, and a third "adjust" position wherein both of said locking members are disengaged so that the top frame may be freely adjusted to any desired position relative to said bottom frame.
21 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Fore and aft isolator assembly for a suspended vehicle seat permits the operator to rotate a single control lever in one direction to allow the seat to be moved to any desired fore and aft position and in the opposite direction to lock the seat in that position in either a fixed manner relative to the seat base or in an "isolate" mode where it is free to travel back and forth to a limited degree against resilient elements. The assembly permits the seat to have a very low profile limited only by the clearance required for the suspension structure. It includes an intermediate frame having a series of rack teeth which is positioned between top and bottom frames attached, respectively, to the seat upper and to the suspension. The bottom frame also incorporates a toothed rack. A rotatable adjusting shaft which is rotatably mounted to the top frame slidably supports the intermediate frame and also fixedly supports a first locking pawl which can engage a selected tooth in the rack on the bottom frame. The shaft also carries a second locking pawl mounted in a "lost-motion" manner in which it can engage the rack on the intermediate frame either when the first locking pawl is engaged in a "seat lockup" position or when it is disengaged in a "seat isolate" position. Further rotation of the shaft will also disengage the second locking pawl when the seat is in a "seat adjust" position.
34 Citations
11 Claims
- 1. A fore and aft isolator assembly for a suspended vehicle seat comprising a top seat support frame adapted to be attached to the bottom of the seat upper, a bottom frame adapted to be attached to the top of the seat suspension, an intermediate frame mounted between said top and bottom frame for selective fore and aft movement relative to either of said top and bottom frames, the movement of said intermediate frame relative to one of said top and bottom frames being resiliently resisted in an "isolation" mode in both a fore and aft direction by resilient biasing means, an adjusting shaft mounted on said top frame for non-axial, rotary movement, said adjusting shaft having a handle on its forward end and first and second locking members mounted intermediate its ends, said first locking member being positively fixed to said shaft for selective rotation therewith into or out of locking engagement with at least one of a series of fore and aft positioned teeth on said bottom frame to lock or unlock said bottom frame to said top frame, said second locking member being mounted on said shaft for selective rotation into or out of locking engagement with at least one of a series of fore and aft positioned teeth on said intermediate frame, said adjusting shaft being rotatable by said handle between a first "lockout" position in which both of said first and second locking members are engaged to lock all of the frames together, a second "isolate" position in which only said second locking member is engaged so that said intermediate frame is locked to said top frame for movement therewith relative to said bottom frame against said resilient biasing means, and a third "adjust" position wherein both of said locking members are disengaged so that the top frame may be freely adjusted to any desired position relative to said bottom frame.
Specification