Walk-in memory apparatus for automobile seat

• US 7,971,920 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daewon Precision Industrial Co., Ltd., Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Daewon Precision Industrial Co., Ltd., Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Eun Sue, Jang, Jae Yong, Lee, Byung Jae, Seo, Sang Man, Yoo, Jong Moon
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow; Jason S
• Application Number:
  US12/345,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 296/65.16, 296/65.13, 296/65.01, 297/341, 248/429
• US Class Current: 296/65.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/123 and provided with memory locks

Abstract

A walk-in memory apparatus for an automobile seat locks the seat on a body only after the seat moves past a preset reference point when the seat, moved forwards with a seat back folded up by a seat walk-in apparatus, moves backwards with the seat back unfolded. The walk-in memory apparatus causes the entire seat to move forwards along tracks in an unlocked state when the seat back is folded up. The seat includes a track memory unit which, when the seat moves backwards with the seat back unfolded, causes the seat to be unlocked from the track when the stopper bracket is located ahead of a reference stopper and to be locked on the track when the stopper bracket is located behind the reference stopper.

Claims

1. A walk-in memory apparatus for an automobile seat of a vehicle, comprising:

a track formed on a bottom portion of the vehicle;

a track memory member connected to the seat, the track memory member including a stopper bracket, wherein the track memory member is slidably mounted to the track; and

a reference stopper displaced on a portion of the track;

wherein the reference stopper activates the stopper bracket of the track memory member such that the track memory member is unlocked from the track when the stopper bracket is located ahead of the reference stopper and locked with the track when the stopper bracket is located behind the reference stopper and moves backwards; and

wherein the track memory member includes;

an external force-providing member providing external force in cooperation with folding operation of the seat back;

an unlocking member pivotally coupled to a base, the unlocking member selectively activated by the external force-providing member, wherein the unlocking member has a restoring force;

a locking member pivotally coupled to the base, the locking member selectively pivoted by the unlocking member;

a track lock plate hingedly coupled to the seat, the track lock plate selectively disengaged from the track, by the locking member such that the seat slides; and

a latch plate pivotally coupled to the base, the latch plate selectively being engaged with the locking member such that the locking member continues to unlock the track lock plate to the track while the unlocking member does not apply the external force to the locking member;

wherein the stopper bracket activated by the reference stopper, releases the latch plate from the locking member to lock the track lock plate to the track when the seat moves backwards.

2. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the restoring force of the unlocking member is enforced by an elastic member.

3. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the track lock plate is biased toward the track memory plate by an elastic member.

4. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unlocking member comprises at least two sections pivotally coupled each other.

5. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a lock may be formed on the track in a longitudinal direction thereof.

6. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external force-providing member includes:

a pressing member offset from a rotation center of the seatback and attached to the seat back;

a rotating member co-axially coupled to the rotation center of the seat back, one end of which is restoreably rotated by operation of the pressing member; and

a cable connecting the other end of the rotating member with the unlocking member.

7. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the rotating member is restored by a coil spring.

8. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the locking member includes:

a guide recess to selectively receive a first end of the unlocking member, the guide recess activated by the unlocking member; and

a catch step to selectively catch a second end of the unlocking member even when the unlocking member is disengaged from the locking member.

9. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the stopper bracket is pivotally connected with the latch plate, and causes the locking member to be released from the latch plate by the reference stopper when the seat moves backwards.

10. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the stopper bracket is connected with the latch plate via a latch pin and a contact part of the stopper bracket is offset from the latch pin.

11. The walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the contact part has a slope at one end thereof such that the stopper bracket freely rotates the latch plate with respect to the latch pin when the seat moves forwards after contact with the reference stopper but is raised when the seat moves backwards after contact with the reference stopper.

12. A passenger vehicle comprising the walk-in memory apparatus according to claim 1.