Vehicle seat track with hydraulic actuator

• US 7,182,385 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Christopher, Hugh H.
• Primary Examiner(s): LYJAK, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/993,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 296/65.13, 296/65.15, 297/344.1, 297/334.1, 248/429, 74/892.8
• US Class Current: 296/65.15
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/067 by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0705 omega-shaped

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly comprising a seat, and a seat track mounting adapted to slidingly mount the seat to a vehicle floor. The seat track mounting comprising an elongate slidingly engaged seat track member including a pair of spaced apart side flanges which define a channel section. The vehicle seat assembly further comprising a hydraulic actuator arranged in use to extend and retract as the seat is slidingly moved on the seat track mounting. This hydraulic actuator is located longitudinally within seat track member within the channel section and between the pair of side flanges.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a seat;

a seat track mounting adapted to slidingly mount the seat to a vehicle floor, the seat track mounting comprising an elongate slidingly engaged seat track member including a pair of spaced apart side flanges which define a channel section; and

a hydraulic actuator arranged in use to extend and retract as the seat is slidingly moved along the seat track mounting;

wherein the hydraulic actuator is located longitudinally within seat track member within the channel section and between the pair of side flanges.

2. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the actuator comprises a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly with an axially extending and retracting piston rod.

3. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the seat track mounting comprises a pair of elongate slidingly interengaged seat track members.

4. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed claim 3 in which the hydraulic actuator is disposed between the pair of elongate seat track members.

5. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which the seat track mounting comprises a pair of elongate slidingly interengaged seat track members, and in which the cylinder of the hydraulic actuator is attached to a first of the pair of elongate slidingly interengaged seat track members, and the piston rod is connected to a second of pair of elongate slidingly interengaged seat track members.

6. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the seat track member including a pair of spaced apart side flanges further comprises an interconnecting portion interconnecting the side flanges to define a U shaped channel section.

7. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the hydraulic actuator includes at least one mounting lug which projects laterally from the hydraulic actuator, with the mounting lug engaged within a corresponding mounting aperture defined in the side flange of the seat track member.

8. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in claim 7 in which the hydraulic actuator includes a first mounting lug disposed at one end of the hydraulic actuator and a second mounting lug disposed at an opposite end of the hydraulic actuator to locate respective ends of the hydraulic actuator to the seat track member.

9. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the hydraulic actuator includes first and second abutting surfaces which abut against the respective side flanges.

10. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the seat track mounting comprises a pair parallel laterally spaced apart seat track assemblies, at least one of the seat track assemblies including the hydraulic actuator located within the seat track assembly.

11. A vehicle seat assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein one of the seat track assemblies includes the hydraulic actuator located within said one of the seat track assemblies, and wherein the other one of the seat track assemblies includes a second hydraulic actuator located within said other one of the seat track assemblies.