Folding second seat with seat track release latch mechanism

• US 5,702,145 A
• Filed: 09/27/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Seating Corp. (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Fowler, Thomas J., Rus, Liviu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoge, Gary C.
• Application Number:
  US08/636,279
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 296/68.1, 296/66, 296/65.1, 297/378.12, 297/335, 297/336
• US Class Current: 296/66
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3013 the back-rest being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/305 the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3093 slides
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/366 characterised by the locking device

Abstract

A vehicular seat assembly (28), fixedly secured to a floor (24) of a vehicle (10), is movable between a seat forming position (FIG. 1), a storage access position (FIG. 3) and a load floor position (FIG. 5). The seat frame structure (30) includes a front member (38) and a back member (40), both of which are slidable along a track (32). The seat cushion (42) pivots about the front member (38) when it is released from the back member (40). This rotational movement allows a safety lock lever (60) to rotate counter-clockwise (as viewed in the Figures) forcing a cam pin (64) downwardly. The cam (62) also pivots downwardly disengaging itself from its follower (66). Because the follower (66) cannot force the cam (62) downwardly, the seat adjustment mechanism (53) is prevented from moving to its release position to unlocking the vehicular seat assembly (10) from the track (32). The vehicular seat assembly (10) can slide along the track (32) only when the seat cushion (42) is locked into the back member (40) of the seat frame structure (30).

Claims

1. A vehicular seat assembly (28) for attachment to a floor (24) of a vehicle (10), said vehicular seat assembly (28) comprising:

seat back (50) and a seat cushion (42) supported for pivotal movement into and out of a seat forming position;

seat track means (32) supporting said seat assembly (28) for rectilinear fore and aft movement, said seat track means (32) including seat adjustment means (53) selectively operable between a locked position for preventing said rectilinear fore and aft movement of said seat cushion (42) and a release position for adjusting said rectilinear fore and aft position of said seat cushion (42),

safety locking means (58) for preventing said fore and aft adjustment of said seat cushion (42) in response to pivotal movement of said seat cushion (42) out of said seat forming position,

said safety locking means (58) including camming means (61) for engaging said seat back (50) and moving said seat adjustment means (52) out of said lock position and into said release position in response to said seat back (50) pivoting out of said seat forming position while said seat cushion is maintained in said seat forming position and a disengaging lever (60) engageble with said seat cushion (42) for disengaging said camming means (61) from said seat back (50) in response to said seat cushion moving out of said seat forming position to maintain said seat adjustment means (52) in said locked position and prevent fore and aft movement of said seat assembly (28).

2. An assembly (28) as set forth in claim 1 further comprising said camming means (62) including a cam (62) having a cam pin (64) pivotally connecting said cam (62) to said safety locking means (58) and a follower (66) fixedly secured to said seat back (50) such that said follower (66) forces said cam (62) to pivot about said cam pin (64) when said seat back (50) is pivoted out of the seat forming position.

3. An assembly (28) as set forth in claim 2 further comprising said back member (40) including roller means (72) for guiding said cam (62) as it pivots about said cam pin (64).

4. An assembly (28) as set forth in claim 3 further comprising said safety locking means (68) including a lever (60) having two lever ends (78, 80) and a length extending therebetween, said lever (60) being pivotal about said roller means (72).

5. An assembly (28) as set forth in claim 4 further comprising one of said two lever ends (80) being pivotally secured to said cam pin (64) and the other (78) of said two lever ends having a platform (46) for responding to the pivotal position of said seat cushion (42), said lever (60) rotating said cam (62) about said roller means (72) to disengage said cam (62) from said follower (66) preventing said seat adjustment means (52) from moving out of said locked position toward said release position.

6. An assembly (28) as set forth in claim 5 further comprising connecting means (54) for connecting said cam (62) to said seat adjustment locking means (52) to remotely unlock said track locking means (52).

7. An assembly (28) as set forth in claim 6 further comprising seat back releasing means (82) for releasing said seat back (50) from the seat forming position.

8. An assembly (28) as set forth in claim 7 further comprising stopping means (88) for stopping said seat back (50) from rotating from the storage access position past the upright seating position.