Inertia lock apparatus
First Claim
1. An inertia lock apparatus for a vehicle seating system including a base substructure attached to a vehicle floor, and a laterally moveable seat substructure coupled with the base substructure, the apparatus comprising:
- a striker bar connected to one of the base substructure and the laterally moveable seat substructure;
a pendulum latch coupled at a pivot point to the other one of the base substructure and the laterally moveable seat substructure for movement between a normal orientation and a latching orientation, the pendulum latch including a first end with a mass portion configured to pivot about the pivot point relative to a predetermined deceleration, and a second end including a catch portion configured to catch the striker bar in the latching orientation;
a lock mechanism coupled with the pendulum latch and configured to stop the pendulum latch from moving from the latching orientation to the normal orientation; and
a release mechanism coupled with the pendulum latch and configured to unlock the lock mechanism for moving the pendulum latch from the latching orientation to the normal orientation.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for securing a moveable scat substructure of a vehicle seating system to a stationary base substructure of the vehicle seating system during a dynamic event such as, for example, rapid vehicle deceleration. In one embodiment, an inertia lock apparatus is provided for a vehicle seating system and includes: a striker bar; a pendulum latch pivotally moveable between a normal orientation and a latching orientation; and a lock mechanism configured to prevent the pendulum latch from moving from the latching orientation to the normal orientation. In another embodiment the inertia lock apparatus includes a release mechanism for moving the pendulum latch from the latching orientation to the normal orientation, thereby unlocking the lock mechanism and resetting the apparatus. In another aspect, a vehicle seating system including the inertia lock apparatus is provided.
35 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An inertia lock apparatus for a vehicle seating system including a base substructure attached to a vehicle floor, and a laterally moveable seat substructure coupled with the base substructure, the apparatus comprising:
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a striker bar connected to one of the base substructure and the laterally moveable seat substructure; a pendulum latch coupled at a pivot point to the other one of the base substructure and the laterally moveable seat substructure for movement between a normal orientation and a latching orientation, the pendulum latch including a first end with a mass portion configured to pivot about the pivot point relative to a predetermined deceleration, and a second end including a catch portion configured to catch the striker bar in the latching orientation; a lock mechanism coupled with the pendulum latch and configured to stop the pendulum latch from moving from the latching orientation to the normal orientation; and a release mechanism coupled with the pendulum latch and configured to unlock the lock mechanism for moving the pendulum latch from the latching orientation to the normal orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vehicle seating system comprising:
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a base substructure connected to a floor of the vehicle; a laterally moveable seat substructure coupled with the base substructure; a striker bar connected to one of the base substructure and the laterally moveable seat substructure; a stop bar connected to the other one of the base substructure and the laterally moveable seat substructure; a pendulum latch coupled at a pivot point to the other one of the base substructure and the laterally moveable scat substructure for movement between a normal orientation and a latching orientation, the pendulum latch comprising a first end including a mass portion configured to pivot about the pivot point relative to a predetermined deceleration, a second end including a catch portion configured to catch the striker bar in the latching orientation, and a slot with a bottom surface intermediate the first end and the second end, the stop bar extending through the slot; a lock mechanism coupled with the pendulum latch and configured to stop the pendulum latch from moving from the latching orientation to the normal orientation, the lock mechanism including a lock pivot point connected to the pendulum latch below the pivot point and intermediate the first and second ends, a stop member connected to the pendulum latch proximate the lock pivot point, and a lock member pivotally coupled to the lock pivot point and including a normal bias that urges the lock member against the stop member, the lock member including an upper shoulder that projects above the bottom surface for interfering with the stop bar for preventing pivoting of the pendulum latch during a deceleration that is less than the predetermined deceleration; and a release mechanism coupled with the pendulum latch and configured to unlock the lock mechanism for moving the pendulum latch from the latching orientation to the normal orientation. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification