Abstract: A seat position control mechanism includes an actuating member secured to a tilting seat back and operatively connectable to an actuating member by a pawl and ratchet mechanism in order to displace the seat forwardly to an easy enter position upon forward tilting movement of the seat back. A cam and follower arrangement releases a latch for the track mechanism upon coupling of the operating and actuating members. The seat back may be moved rearwardly to an inclined position without actuation of the seat position control mechanism.

Abstract: A seat position control mechanism includes a pair of track members, a detent member secured to one track member and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced recesses, and a second detent member secured to the other track member and having a single recess. A pawl which is manually controlled or controlled by tilting movement of the seat back is engageable with one of the spaced recesses and a single recess to lock the track members to each other. The seat can be adjusted by operating the manual control to release the pawl from a spaced recess while remaining in engagement with the single recess to unlock the track members. Tilting movement of the seat back or use of the manual control moves the pawl out of the single recess while remaining in engagement with the spaced recess. Return of the pawl into engagement with the single recess re-establishes the seat in the initial starting position and locks the track members to each other.

Abstract: A plastic vehicle wheel cover includes a cover body provided with integral elongated slightly tapered tubular extensions, each being slotted, to provide a plurality of cantilevered fingers which are provided with abutments which snap into a circumferential groove in a lug nut to mount the cover on a vehicle wheel.

Abstract: A roller band sensor includes a housing having a cavity including a pair of spaced generally parallel side walls joined by proximal and distal end walls. A pair of bands of flexible spring material within the housing cavity are of generally elongate shape, with their adjacent abutting portions commonly secured to each other and their respective remote portions bearing against and secured to a respective side wall to divide each band into forward and rearward end loops.

Abstract: A seat slide bearing assembly includes a bearing unit of low friction plastic material and a roller. The bearing unit includes an apertured body portion which rotatably receives the roller and includes an integral tab fitting within an aperture of the roller to preassemble the bearing unit and roller as a module. Integral legs extend from the body portion and terminate in integral bearing portions having opposed faces, one of which is provided with a series of deflectable ribs.

Abstract: A steering wheel includes a stamped body portion including a hub and a pair of spoke members having terminal portions integrally riveted to a split rim member and wrapped thereabout. One of the terminal portions is secured to the split portion of the rim member and the other is secured to an unsplit portion. The steering wheel is manufactured by forming the terminal portions with an intermediate flange and a terminal flange, locating the rim member at the juncture of the flanges, with the split of the rim member within the extent of one of the terminal flanges, piercing the terminal flange to either side of the split, piercing the other terminal flange, extruding portions of the rim member into the pierced openings to integrally rivet the rim member to the terminal portion and wrapping the terminal flanges over the recesses in the rim member resulting from the extrusion to clamp the rim member and terminal portions to each other.

Abstract: An acoustic emission automotive crash sensor arrangement which includes a continuous loop type wave guide welded at a number of locations to the vehicle structures likely to be deformed upon impact of the vehicle with an object. The ends of the loop are secured to a piezoelectric crystal, the output of which is digitized and compared in a microprocessor to preprogrammed threshholds for several different parameters of the acoustic emission event to determine whether an impact of sufficient severity has occurred to require actuation of an occupant restraint. In other embodiments: the ends of the wave guide may be secured to individual crystals; the loop type wave guide may be connected to all or certain of the vehicle structures by branch wave guides; and individual wave guides may be connected between the vehicle structures and the crystal.

Abstract: A drive arrangement for interconnecting a driven tape and a vehicle body window includes a drive block having a row of barbs hooked through the perforations of the tape with the ultimate barbs facing oppositely of each other and with one of the ultimate barbs being longer than the other to accept greater loads. The drive block includes a tapered pin received within an elongated slot of a window drive member to provide a separable connection accommodating relative separation movement of the members during window movement. The drive block further includes a flexible finger engaging the window drive member to resist concomitant relative rotation of the members upon separation thereof.

Abstract: A modular occupant restraint system includes an inflator, a cushion, a container for the cushion, and a cover for the container assembled as a module to a support plate which is releasably mounted on a vehicle steering wheel. The support plate includes pairs of arms extending laterally to opposite edges thereof and a horn blowing switch which is releasably pivotally connected to one arm and releasably secured to the other arm, with the switch being exposed for repair or replacement without disassembly of any of the components of the system. The container includes spaced pairs of arms which engage respective support plate arms and support spoke extensions of the cover which enclose the container arms and support plate arms. The spoke extensions mount horn buttons which close the switch.

Abstract: A pendulum type sensor includes a housing having a plurality of recesses, each receiving a sensor module. The sensor module includes a mass assembly, a spacer assembly and a contact assembly sandwiched together and secured to each other. Each assembly includes a support defining an enclosure, with the mass assembly enclosure receiving a sector shaped recess of the spacer assembly to locate the mass and deflectable wire of the mass assembly in an unactuated preload position. The contact assembly includes a plurality of contact fingers engaged by the mass upon movement to actuated position and an ultimate stop which prevents turning moments on the mass upon engagement of the contact fingers with the ultimate stop under the force of the mass.