Abstract: A recliner assembly for hingedly connecting a seat back and a seat cushion. The recliner assembly has a base plate mounted to the seat cushion, an arm mounted to the seat back and a locking mechanism for locking the seat back in one of a range of seat back positions and selectively releasing the seat back for adjustment of the seat back relative to the seat cushion and dumping the seat forwardly providing access rearward of the seat cushion. The base plate has a circular cavity with an inner circumference lined with teeth. The arm is mounted to the seat back and pivotally engages the base plate for sliding relative movement thereto for forward and rearward pivotal movement of the seat back. The arm has a circular cavity with an inner circumference lined with teeth and is coaxially mounted in a face to face manner with the circular cavity of the base plate. The locking mechanism has a plurality of pawl, a camming member and an actuator.

Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly comprising a seat back assembly pivotally coupled to a seat cushion assembly by a recliner assembly and pivotal between a plurality of reclined positions. The recliner assembly including a fixed plate secured to the seat cushion assembly and a seat back arm member secured to and movable with the seat back assembly. A locking mechanism including a pawl member and a locking control arm are coupled between the fixed plate and the seat back arm member and moveable between a locked position retaining the seat back cushion in a desired reclined position and an unlocked position allowing movement of the seat back cushion to any of the desired reclined positions. A seat back release member interconnects with each of the pawl member and the locking control arm to simultaneously move the locking mechanisms between the locked and unlocked position via a common pivot pin.

Abstract: A linear recliner assembly for use with a vehicle seat assembly. The vehicle seat assembly has a seat cushion and a seat back pivotally mounted to the seat cushion for forward and rearward reclining movement. The linear recliner assembly has a housing mounted to the seat cushion. An actuating rod is pivotally connected to the seat back at a first end thereof and slidably mounted with the housing at an opposite end thereof. The actuating rod is biased to urge the seat back to the forward reclining movement. A pivotally mounted pawl is biased into pivotal engagement with the actuating rod. A rotatable camming member engages the pawl in a camming relationship so as to move the pawl between a releasably engaged position engaging the actuating rod preventing reclining movement and a released position disengaging the actuating rod mechanism allowing reclining movement.

Abstract: The side air bag directional guide system is provided for intensifying the forces applied to a seam in a vehicle seat for allowing the air bag to be deployed through an opening in the seam. The air bag directional guide system includes a vehicle seat including a seat back having a seat cover. An air bag unit is mounted inside of the seat cover and a membrane is wrapped around the air bag unit and has first and second ends connected to a seam in the seat cover. Upon deployment of the air bag, the membrane intensifies the forces applied to the seam thereby tearing open the seam to provide an opening through which the air bag is deployed.

Abstract: The side air bag directional guide system is provided for intensifying the forces applied to a seam in a vehicle seat for allowing the air bag to be deployed through an opening in the seam. The air bag directional guide system includes a vehicle seat including a seat back having a seat cover. An air bag unit is mounted inside of the seat cover and a membrane is wrapped around the air bag unit and has first and second ends connected to a seam in the seat cover. Upon deployment of the air bag, the membrane intensifies the forces applied to the seam thereby tearing open the seam to provide an opening through which the air bag is deployed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed whereby an assist fixture is provided to clamp about a seat assembly, whereupon both are immersed in a bed apparatus and into a pressed relation against a cushion of hot air. The seat assembly includes a preformed flexible pad having an appearance surface and a cover adapted to be adhesively bonded to the pad during the immersion. The assist fixture includes tubular members which press the cover into preformed indentations in the appearance face of the pad to assist in enhancing surface definition, the tubular members can be adapted to pass hot or cold air depending on the stage of the process.

Abstract: A seat recliner having a linear recliner mechanism and a dump mechanism is disclosed. The linear retractor device is provided for adjusting the reclined position of the seatback. The dump mechanism includes a bracket mounted to the seat bottom which has a pair of elongated guide slots formed in two sidewall portions thereof. A carriage is slidably mounted in the elongated guide slots of the bracket and is coupled to the linear retractor mechanism for permitting sliding movement thereof between a memory position and a free position relative to the bracket. A latch device is provided for releasably securing the linear retractor mechanism in the memory position. When secured in its memory position, linear recliner mechanism can be selectively actuated to adjust the reclined position of the seatback between upright and fully-reclined positions. When the latch device is actuated, the linear retractor mechanism can be slid toward its free position in response to movement of the seatback toward its dumped position.

Abstract: A seat interlock system for use with a vehicular seat having a fold-down seatback equipped with a deployable integral child seat. An interlock mechanism is interdisposed between a seatback latching mechanism and a child seat latching mechanism. When the seatback is in its normal upright and latched condition, the interlock mechanism permits the child seat to be deployed. If the seatback is not latched, a movable member of the interlock mechanism prevents deployment of the child seat. Upon deployment of the integral child seat, the movable member interacts with the seatback latching mechanism in such a way as to prevent the seatback from being unlatched, thereby preventing folding of the seatback. The seat interlock system also includes an inertia responsive latching mechanism for preventing deployment of the integral child seat when the seatback is subject to a deceleration force exceeding a predetermined threshold value.