Support assembly with a support member and a track assembly

• US 10,855,037 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2018
• Issued: 12/01/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Lammers, Dale, Jones, Jeffrey A., Moulin, Antoine
• Primary Examiner(s): Chambers, Travis S
• Application Number:
  US16/221,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20200194948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 439210, 439110-120, 439839, 439 13, 439532, 439116
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/015 Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0715 C or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/072 Complex cross-section, e.g. obtained by extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/113 co-operating with pins or blades having a rectangular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/424 Securing in base or case composed of a plurality of insulating parts having at least one resilient insulating part
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/162 Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/165 Connecting locations formed by surface mounted apparatus

Abstract

A support assembly includes a support member and a track assembly. The support member may include a conductor and/or a pin. The track assembly may include a bus bar. The conductor may be configured to rotate with and/or about the pin to selectively engage the bus bar. The conductor may be configured to rotate about a vertical axis to selectively engage the bus bar. The conductor may be substantially curved and/or substantially planar. The conductor may include a first position and/or a second position. The conductor may not be in electrical contact with the bus bar when in the first position and/or the conductor may be in electrical contact with the bus bar when in the second position. When the conductor is in the first position, the conductor may not restrict removal of the support member from the track assembly.

Claims

1. A support assembly comprising:

a support member including;

a conductor; and

a track assembly including;

a bus bar,

a first track;

a connecting member, and

an insulator disposed to electrically insulate the bus bar from the connecting member;

wherein the conductor is configured to move to selectively engage the bus bar; and

the connecting member includes a spring configuration.

2. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductor is configured to rotate about a vertical axis to selectively engage the bus bar.

3. The support assembly of claim 1, including a vehicle seat connected to the support member.

4. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductor is substantially semi-circular.

5. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductor includes a first position and a second position;

the conductor is not in electrical contact with the bus bar when in the first position; and

the conductor is in electrical contact with the bus bar when in the second position.

6. The support assembly of claim 5, wherein when the conductor is in the first position, the conductor does not restrict removal of the support member from the track assembly;

and when the conductor is in the second position, the conductor restricts removal of the support member from the track assembly.

7. The support assembly of claim 5, wherein the conductor is configured to rotate in a first direction when moving from the first position to the second position;

the conductor is configured to rotate in a second direction when moving from the second position to the first position; and

the first direction is opposite the second direction.

8. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the track assembly includes a second track;

the second track is disposed substantially within the first track; and

the bus bar is disposed at least partially in the first track.

9. The support assembly of claim 8, wherein the first track includes a recess and the recess is configured to at least partially receive the bus bar.

10. The support assembly of claim 9, wherein the recess is disposed in a lateral side of the first track such that the recess is offset in a Y-direction from the second track.

11. The support assembly of claim 10, wherein the connecting member is configured to be press-fit and/or interference fit into the recess.

12. The support assembly of claim 10, including a second bus bar;

wherein the connecting member is configured to secure the bus bar and the second bus bar in the recess.

13. The support assembly of claim 12, wherein the support member includes a second conductor;

the conductor and the second conductor are configured to rotate with or about a pin; and

the second conductor is configured to selectively engage the second bus bar.

14. A support assembly comprising:

a support member including;

a conductor; and

a track assembly including;

a bus bar,

a first track;

a connecting member, and

an insulator disposed to electrically insulate the bus bar from the connecting member;

wherein the conductor is configured to move to selectively engage the bus bar; and

the bus bar includes a plurality of flexible protrusions spaced in a longitudinal direction of the track assembly.

15. A support assembly comprising:

a support member including;

a conductor; and

a track assembly, including;

a bus bar,

a first track,

a second track disposed at least partially in the first track, and

a connecting member;

wherein the conductor is configured to to selectively engage the bus bar;

the connecting member is configured to connect the bus bar to the first track; and

the bus bar is disposed at least partially in the first track.

16. The support assembly of claim 15, wherein the connecting member includes a spring configuration.

17. The support assembly of claim 15, wherein the conductor includes a rounded portion and a linear portion disposed opposite the rounded portion.

18. The support assembly of claim 15, wherein the support assembly includes three or more additional conductors and the track assembly includes an additional bus bar for each of the three or more additional conductors.

19. The support assembly of claim 15, wherein in a first position of the conductor, the conductor extends substantially in an X-direction;

and in a second position of the conductor, the conductor extends substantially in a Y-direction beyond the second track and is disposed in contact with opposing portions of the bus bar.

20. A support assembly comprising:

a support member, including;

a conductor, and

a pin; and

a track assembly, including;

a bus bar, a first track,

an insulator, and

a connecting member connecting the bus bar with the first track;

wherein the conductor is configured to rotate with and/or about the pin to selectively engage the bus bar;

the insulator is disposed at least partially in the connecting member;

the bus bar is disposed at least partially in the insulator; and

the insulator electrically insulates the bus bar from the connecting member and the first track.