Extruded automotive seat track
First Claim
1. A seat track assembly for automotive seats, said assembly comprising a first elongated extrusion of lightweight, high strength aluminum and a second elongated extrusion of lightweight, high strength aluminum slideably engaged with said first extrusion for longitudinal movement relative thereto, said first extrusion being formed with first and second pairs of abutment means along its length and said second extrusion being formed with third and fourth pairs of abutment means along its length so that each one of said abutment means of said first pair are adjacent and normally spaced from a different one of said abutment means of said third pair and so that each one of said abutment means of said second pair are adjacent and normally spaced from a different one of said abutment means of said fourth pair whereby said abutment means cooperate to provide four elongated reaction areas for resisting separation of said two extrusions.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automotive seating system including lightweight, high strength extrusions forming the track assemblies. The extrusions are formed with elongated abutment surfaces providing the sole reaction surfaces to resist separation of the track assemblies in the event of a crash. No separate reinforcements are needed.
75 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A seat track assembly for automotive seats, said assembly comprising a first elongated extrusion of lightweight, high strength aluminum and a second elongated extrusion of lightweight, high strength aluminum slideably engaged with said first extrusion for longitudinal movement relative thereto, said first extrusion being formed with first and second pairs of abutment means along its length and said second extrusion being formed with third and fourth pairs of abutment means along its length so that each one of said abutment means of said first pair are adjacent and normally spaced from a different one of said abutment means of said third pair and so that each one of said abutment means of said second pair are adjacent and normally spaced from a different one of said abutment means of said fourth pair whereby said abutment means cooperate to provide four elongated reaction areas for resisting separation of said two extrusions.
- 2. A seat track assembly for automotive seats, said assembly comprising a first elongated extrusion of lightweight, high strength material and a second elongated extrusion of lightweight, high strength material slideably engaged with said first extrusion for longitudinal movement relative thereto, said first extrusion being formed with first and second pairs of abutment means along its length and said second extrusion being formed with third and fourth pairs of abutment means along its length so that each one of said abutment means of said first pair are adjacent a different one of said abutment means of said third pair and so that each one of said abutment means of said second pair are adjacent a different one of said abutment means of said fourth pair whereby said abutment means cooperate to provide four elongated reaction areas for resisting separation of said two extrusions, each one of the abutment means of said first pair being spaced from its adjacent abutment means of said third pair by a predetermined distance and each one of the abutment means of said second pair being spaced from its adjacent abutment means of said fourth pair by a distance larger than said predetermined distance so that upon movement of said extrusions said second and fourth pairs of abutment means engage and cooperate to resist separation of said first and second extrusions after said first and third pairs of abutment means engage.
- 8. A seat track assembly for automotive seats, said assembly including a first elongated extrusion of lightweight material forming a lower track adapted to be mounted on the floor of an automotive vehicle and a second elongated extrusion of lightweight material forming an upper track adapted to carry an automotive seat, said upper track being slideably engaged with said lower track to permit adjustment of the seat, a plurality of abutment means formed on each track for reacting with each other at a plurality of locations each of which extends substantially along the entire length of said track assembly to resist separation of said tracks, and wherein one of said plurality of abutment means plastically deforms when resisting separation of said tracks and then another of said plurality of abutment means resists additional forces tending to cause separation of said tracks.
- 11. An automotive seat and seat track system for adjustably mounting the seat in an automotive vehicle, said seat track system comprising a pair of first elongated extrusions of lightweight, high strength aluminum spaced apart from each other for attachment to an automotive, and a pair of second elongated extrusions of lightweight, high strength aluminum spaced apart from each other and attached to the automotive seat, each one of said second extrusions being slideably assembled with a different one of said first extrusions for longitudinal movement of the second extrusions relative to the first extrusions whereby the seat can be adjustably arranged in a vehicle, and a plurality of abutment means formed integrally with the first and second extrusions and normally spaced apart, the abutment means engaging for resisting separation of the extrusions in the event of an automobile crash.
- 15. An automotive seat track system for adjustably mounting the seat in an automotive vehicle, said seat track system comprising a pair of first elongated extrusions of lightweight, high strength material spaced apart from each other for attachment to an automotive vehicle, and a pair of second elongated extrusions of lightweight, high strength material spaced apart from each other and attached to the automotive seat, each one of said second extrusions being slideably assembled with a different one of said first extrusions for longitudinal movement of the second extrusions relative to the first extrusions whereby the seat can be adjustably arranged in a vehicle, and abutment means formed integrally with the first and second extrusions for resisting separation of the extrusions in the event of an automobile crash, said abutment means including a first set of abutments arranged to engage each other and plastically deform in the event of a crash causing the extrusion members to separate and a second set of abutments arranged to resist separation of said extrusion members after said first set of abutments starts to plastically deform.
Specification