Vehicle seat track assembly
First Claim
1. A vehicle seat track assembly for use with a vehicle seat having a seat cushion member and a seat back member pivotally movable over said seat cushion member from a first relatively upright position to a second relatively folded position said vehicle seat track assembly comprising:
- a first track member adapted for being securely mounted on a vehicle;
a second track member for being securely affixed to said seat cushion member and being slidably mounted on said first track member;
a track locking means mounted on one of said first and second track members and movable between a locking configuration wherein said track locking means physically engages the other of said track members so as to thereby lock the second track member in position with respect to the first track member in a selected one of a plurality of relative locking positions, and an unlocking configuration wherein said track locking means is disengaged from said other of said track members so as to thereby permit relative sliding movement of said second track member with respect to said first track member, wherein said track locking means is biased toward said locking configuration; and
,an actuating device for controlling movement of said track locking means between said locking and said unlocking configurations, said actuating device comprising;
a frame member securely attached to a selected one of said first and second track members;
an arm member movably mounted on the frame member in operative engagement with said track locking means for movement between a rest position, at which rest position said arm member is positioned to permit said track locking means to assume said locking configuration, and a cocked position, at which cocked position said arm member restrains said track locking means in said unlocking configuration;
first biasing means acting on the arm member to bias the arm member to said rest position;
link means for operative interconnection between said seat back member and the arm member to selectively move said arm member from its rest position to its cocked position against the action of said first biasing means upon said pivotal movement of the seat back member from its first relatively upright position to its second relatively folded position;
a cam follower means movably mounted on said frame member so as to be in progressive operative contact with said arm member for movement between a first position corresponding with the rest position of the arm member and a second position corresponding with the cocked position of the arm member, at which second position the cam follower means restrainingly engages the arm member to hold fast said arm member in said cocked position against the spring biasing of said arm member, independently of the action of the link means; and
,a cam member securely attached to the other of said first and second track members at a predetermined position along said other track member, said cam member being dimensioned and otherwise adapted to contact said cam follower means in its second position upon movement of said cam follower means therepast, thereby to urge said cam follower means to move from its said second position to its said first position so as to permit release of said arm member from the cocked position as aforesaid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An actuating device has an arm which controls the movement of a track locking mechanism for use in conjunction with a vehicle seat assembly adapted for installation in a vehicle. The seat assembly has a first track member, fixed to the vehicle, and a second track member, secured to the vehicle seat, which track members can be locked in position with respect to one another. A cable is attached to a vehicle seatback, and when the seatback is moved from an upright position to a forwardly folded position, the cable moves the arm of the actuating device from a rest position to a cocked position. When the vehicle seat is moved forward to allow access to the rear seat area of the vehicle, the arm of the actuating device correspondingly moves a cam follower from a raised position to a lowered position. The cam follower restrainingly engages the arm in the cocked position against the biasing of a spring member. When the seat is returned to an occupancy position and the seatback to its upright position, the cam follower contacts a cam that is located at a set position. Upon such contact, the cam follower is moved from its lowered position to its raised position, thus releasing the arm to its rest position. The track locking mechanism is correspondingly allowed to return to its locking configuration, thus locking the vehicle seat in place at this set position.
63 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A vehicle seat track assembly for use with a vehicle seat having a seat cushion member and a seat back member pivotally movable over said seat cushion member from a first relatively upright position to a second relatively folded position said vehicle seat track assembly comprising:
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a first track member adapted for being securely mounted on a vehicle; a second track member for being securely affixed to said seat cushion member and being slidably mounted on said first track member; a track locking means mounted on one of said first and second track members and movable between a locking configuration wherein said track locking means physically engages the other of said track members so as to thereby lock the second track member in position with respect to the first track member in a selected one of a plurality of relative locking positions, and an unlocking configuration wherein said track locking means is disengaged from said other of said track members so as to thereby permit relative sliding movement of said second track member with respect to said first track member, wherein said track locking means is biased toward said locking configuration; and
,an actuating device for controlling movement of said track locking means between said locking and said unlocking configurations, said actuating device comprising; a frame member securely attached to a selected one of said first and second track members; an arm member movably mounted on the frame member in operative engagement with said track locking means for movement between a rest position, at which rest position said arm member is positioned to permit said track locking means to assume said locking configuration, and a cocked position, at which cocked position said arm member restrains said track locking means in said unlocking configuration; first biasing means acting on the arm member to bias the arm member to said rest position; link means for operative interconnection between said seat back member and the arm member to selectively move said arm member from its rest position to its cocked position against the action of said first biasing means upon said pivotal movement of the seat back member from its first relatively upright position to its second relatively folded position; a cam follower means movably mounted on said frame member so as to be in progressive operative contact with said arm member for movement between a first position corresponding with the rest position of the arm member and a second position corresponding with the cocked position of the arm member, at which second position the cam follower means restrainingly engages the arm member to hold fast said arm member in said cocked position against the spring biasing of said arm member, independently of the action of the link means; and
,a cam member securely attached to the other of said first and second track members at a predetermined position along said other track member, said cam member being dimensioned and otherwise adapted to contact said cam follower means in its second position upon movement of said cam follower means therepast, thereby to urge said cam follower means to move from its said second position to its said first position so as to permit release of said arm member from the cocked position as aforesaid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification