Vehicle seat track apparatus

• US 4,432,583 A
• Filed: 04/01/1981
• Issued: 02/21/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Telephone & Telegraph Corp. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heesch, Max O., Russo, Vincenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Zugel, Francis K.
• Application Number:
  US06/250,065
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 297/330, 297/337, 297/361, 248/394, 248/396
• US Class Current: 297/330
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0296 Central command actuator to selectively switch on or engage one of several special purpose circuits or mechanisms

Abstract

A power seat track apparatus for selectively positioning an automotive vehicle seat. The apparatus is adapted to be powered by electric motor drive, preferably with separate motors for each drive direction. The seat back is mounted on the upper track of the seat track mechanism for horizontal drive with the track. The vertical drive through front and back torsion tubes or bars act on only the seat pan and seat cushion but not the seat back. Since the vehicle shock loading requirements must be met by the structural seat pan or seat frame, the pan for holding only the seat cushion may be reduced in size as compared to the usual power seat frame. The back cushion seat mounting is designed to withstand shock loading by its mounting on the upper seat track separate from the seat pan and cushion elevating mechanism.

Claims

1. A power seat track mechanism for horizontally moving the seat of a motor vehicle in a forward and rearward sense and for elevating the front end of the seat and elevating the rear end of the seat, the mechanism including laterally spaced apart first and second rail members stationarily secured to the vehicle, a movable carriage comprised of a track member engaged with each rail member for constraining the carriage to said forward and rearward horizontal movement, motor drive means for elevating said seat, front elevating structure operated by said motor drive means for elevating the front end of the seat substantially independently of elevation of the rear end of the seat, rear elevating structure operated by said motor drive means for elevating the rear end of the seat substantially independently of any operation of the front elevating structure, a seat back mounted on said carriage for horizontal movement therewith, the mounting of said seat back being independent of both seat elevating structures, a pivotal link at the front end of the seat interfacing between the front elevating structure and the seat, said link having a pivotal mounting to said carriage and to a section affixed to said seat, said link movable about its carriage mounting on operation of the front drive structure to move the front end of the seat upwardly and a limited amount rearwardly during elevation of the front end of the seat, and a second link at the rear end of the seat with one section of the second link affixed to the carriage and a second section spaced from said one section coupled to the rear end of the seat through a lost motion connection to enable said limited rearward movement of the seat on elevation of the front end of the seat, and further comprising a torsion bar at each seat end, each said torsion bar affixed to a link at the respective seat end thereof, and in which there is a bracket supporting the seat adjacent the rear thereof, said bracket including an elongated horizontal slot supporting the torsion bar at the seat rear for effecting said lost motion connection.

2. A power seat track mechanism as claimed in claim 1, in which there is a bracket supporting the front end of said seat, said front end bracket being connected to said front end torsion bar.

3. A power seat track mechanism as claimed in claim 2, in which there is drive structure for said seat back for pivoting said seat back independently of the elevational movement of the seat.

4. A selective adjustment mechanism for a vehicle seat elevatable at its front end and at its rear end, track members at the lateral sides of the seat extending from adjacent the front to adjacent the rear thereof, motor drive means, first apparatus driven by said drive means for selectively elevating the front end of the seat and second apparatus driven by said drive means for selectively elevating the rear end of the seat, a seat back mounted on said track members independently of the seat whereby said seat back is not moved on elevation or lowering of the seat, said apparatus comprising a first lead screw mechanism for elevating the front end of the seat and a second lead screw mechanism for elevating the rear end of the seat, a first laterally extending torsion bar adjacent the front end of the seat and a second torsion bar adjacent the rear end of the seat, a first link coupled to said first lead screw mechanism for pivotal movement to rotate said first torsion bar in response to a selected operation of said drive means, a second link coupled at one section to said second lead screw mechanism for pivotal movement to elevate said second torsion bar in response to selected operation of said drive means, said first link secured to said first torsion bar in a mutually pivotal mounting to pivot said seat upwardly and rearwardly on operation of said first lead screw, and said second link joined to said second torsion bar and to the rear of said seat in a generally horizontal lost motion connection allowing rearward movement of the rear end of the seat on elevational movement of the front end of the seat without moving said seat back.

5. A selective adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 4, in which there is a first seat support bracket means connected to a lever, said lever being fixedly attached to said first torsion bar with said bracket means affixed to said seat for supporting the front end thereof, and in which there is a second support bracket means bearing said second torsion bar in a lost motion slot in said second bracket with said second bracket affixed to said seat a fixed spacing from said first bracket.

6. A selective adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 5, in which said first bracket means includes a bracket at each lateral side of the seat and said second bracket means includes a bracket at each lateral end of said seat.

7. A selective adjustment mechanism as claimed in claim 6, in which there is a further link at the lateral end of said seat both at the front and at the rear thereof with one of said links at each end being driven by the lead screw and the other link at each end being a slave.