Internal Full Memory Module for Seat Tracks

• US 20110198906A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Mischer, Hans-peter, Laumeier, Marc, Walter, Klaus, Wojatzki, Michael, Schebaum, Andre, Sternberg, Joerg
• Granted Patent: US 8,939,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/344.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0818 inside the rail
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/123 and provided with memory locks
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence

Abstract

An adjustable memory track assembly for a vehicle seat has a lower rail (18) adapted to be secured relative to a vehicle frame, and an upper rail (20) adapted to support the seat for fore/aft sliding movement relative to the lower rail (18). The adjustable memory track assembly (24) also has a track lock assembly (24) operable via a first actuator (28) between a locked, engaged state wherein relative movement between the lower (18) and upper rails (20) is resisted, and an unlocked, disengaged state wherein the seat can be slid to and then locked in a user-selected position. The adjustable memory track assembly (24) is characterized in that the memory module (24) is provided with a blocking element to prevent rearward movement of the seat past the user-selected position independent of the locking state of the track lock assembly (24).

Claims

1. An adjustable memory track assembly for a vehicle seat, the track assembly having a lower rail adapted to be secured relative to a vehicle frame, and an upper rail adapted to support the seat for fore/aft sliding movement relative to the lower rail;

a track lock assembly operable via a first actuator between a locked, engaged state wherein relative movement between the lower and upper rails is resisted, and an unlocked, disengaged state wherein the seat can be slid to and then locked in a user-selected position;

a memory module operable via a second actuator to record the user-selected position, the memory module including a memory wheel mounted relative to one of the upper rail and lower rail, the memory wheel including a plurality of teeth, the teeth adapted to engage openings in a track mounted relative to the other of the upper rail and lower rail when the memory module is operated;

the second actuator operatively connected to disengage the track lock assembly to allow forward movement of the seat from the user-selected location to a forward location, and thereafter allow rearward movement of the seat back to, but not past, the user-selected location;

characterized in that

the memory module is provided with a blocking mechanism adapted to prevent rotation of the memory wheel to prevent rearward movement of the seat past the user-selected position independent of the locking state of the track lock assembly.

2. The adjustable memory track assembly of claim 1, further characterized in that the plurality of teeth of the memory wheel are adapted to support a load to prevent rearward movement of the seat past the user-selected position.

3. The adjustable memory track assembly of claim 2, further characterized in that the memory module is located within an interior space of one of the upper rail and the lower rail.

4. The adjustable memory track assembly of claim 3, further characterized in that the second actuator is activated when a backrest portion of the seat is moved from a use position to an easy entry position.

5. The adjustable memory track assembly of claim 4, further characterized in that the second actuator is deactivated when the backrest portion of the seat is moved from the easy entry position to the use position.

6. The adjustable memory track assembly of claim 5, further characterized in that the memory module includes a threaded axle attached to the memory wheel;

the memory module includes a memory nut that includes a threaded opening, the threaded opening adapted to engage the threaded axle;

wherein the memory nut moves axially along the threaded axle when the seat is moved away from the user-selected location.

7. The adjustable memory track assembly of claim 6, further characterized in that the blocking element comprises a first memory surface mounted relative to the memory nut, a second memory surface mounted relative to the memory wheel, and wherein the first memory surface engages the second memory surface when the seat is at the user-selected position.

8. The adjustable memory track assembly of claim 7, further comprising a memory lock mounted relative to the memory module, the memory lock operable via the second actuator to activate the memory module, the memory lock operable via the first actuator to deactivate the memory module.