Abstract: A seat assembly for supporting an occupant above a floor of an automotive vehicle includes a seat cushion extending laterally between spaced apart side members. The seat cushion includes a front cross member extending between the side members. Inboard and outboard front legs are each pivotally assembled at one end to the front cross member for pivotal movement of the seat cushion relative to the front legs between a seating position and forwardly dumped positions. A boss protrudes outwardly from the front cross member for pivotal movement therewith relative to the front legs. A guide flange is fixedly secured to one of the front legs and has a cam surface cammingly engagable with the boss for automatically laterally displacing the seat cushion in response to pivotal movement of the seat cushion relative to the front legs between the seating and forwardly dumped positions.

Abstract: A seat assembly (10) supports an occupant above a floor (7) having a load floor and a recess (6) extending therebelow. The seat assembly includes a seat cushion (12) extending between a seating surface (15) and a bottom surface (17). A riser mechanism (20) extends between the bottom surface (17) of the seat cushion and the floor (7) for allowing selective movement of the seat assembly between a seating position to support the occupant above the load floor and a stowed position disposed within the recess in the floor. A panel (70) is operatively coupled to the riser mechanism (20) for movement with the seat assembly between the seating position, wherein the panel (70) conceals the recess (6) in the floor, and said stowed position, wherein the panel is disposed within the recess to provide access thereto allowing the seat assembly to be stowed in the recess.

Abstract: A seat assembly comprises a seat cushion having front and rear portions, and a seat back having upper and lower portions. The seat back is operatively connected at the lower portion to the rear portion of the seat cushion for pivotal movement relative to the seat cushion between a plurality of reclined seating positions and a forwardly folded flat position. The seat back further includes a front surface for supporting the back of an occupant seated on the seat assembly. A head restraint having a front surface for supporting the head of the occupant seated on the seat assembly is pivotally coupled to the upper portion of the seat back and moveable relative to the seat back between a plurality of angled head supporting positions and a forwardly folded stowed position defined by the front surface of the head restraint being generally perpendicular to the front surface of the seat back.

Abstract: A seat assembly comprises a seat cushion having front and rear portions, and a seat back having upper and lower portions. The seat back is operatively connected at the lower portion to the rear portion of the seat cushion for pivotal movement relative to the scat cushion between a plurality of reclined seating positions and a forwardly folded flat position. The seat back further includes a front surface for supporting the back of an occupant seated on the seat assembly. A head restraint having a front surface for supporting the head of the occupant seated on the seat assembly is pivotally coupled to the upper portion of the seat back and moveable relative to the seat back between a plurality of angled head supporting positions and a forwardly folded stowed position defined by the front surface of the head restraint being generally perpendicular to the front surface of the seat back.

Abstract: A head restraint pivot latch for a seat assembly allowing pivotal adjustment of a head restraint relative to a seat back. A base member is pivotally assembled to the seat back allowing movement of the head restraint between a use position and a folded position. A first bracket having an index slot is fixedly assembled to the base member. A second bracket having a locking slot defining the use position extends between a proximal end pivotally assembled to the base member and a distal end fixedly secured to the seat back. A button having a tang and a tang slot is movable between the use position, with the tang extending through both the index slot of the first bracket and the locking slot of the second bracket, and a released position with the second bracket slidably engaged within the tang slot, allowing pivotal movement of the head restraint between the two positions.

Abstract: A seat assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprises a seat cushion having a bottom surface extending between front and rear portions and a seat back pivotally coupled to the seat cushion for movement between an upright position and a folded flat position against the seat cushion. A spaced apart pair of risers is fixedly secured to the floor of the vehicle. A support bar extends between the risers spaced above the floor of the vehicle for pivotally supporting the seat assembly between a seating position generally parallel with the floor of the vehicle for supporting an occupant and a forwardly stowed position with the seat cushion generally upright relative to the floor of the vehicle. A pair of retractable support legs are pivotally coupled to the bottom of the seat cushion for movement between a support position extending between the seat cushion in the seating position and the floor of the vehicle and a storage position nested within a slot formed in the bottom of the seat cushion.

Abstract: A head restraint pivot latch for a seat assembly allowing pivotal adjustment of a head restraint relative to a seat back. A base member is pivotally assembled to the seat back allowing movement of the head restraint between a use position and a folded position. A first bracket having an index slot is fixedly assembled to the base member. A second bracket having a locking slot defining the use position extends between a proximal end pivotally assembled to the base member and a distal end fixedly secured to the seat back. A button having a tang and a tang slot is movable between the use position, with the tang extending through both the index slot of the first bracket and the locking slot of the second bracket, and a released position with the second bracket slidably engaged within the tang slot, allowing pivotal movement of the head restraint between the two positions.

Abstract: A seat assembly for use in an automotive vehicle comprising a seat cushion having a bottom surface extending between front and rear portions and a seat back pivotally coupled to the seat cushion for movement between an upright position and a folded flat position against the seat cushion. A spaced apart pair of risers is fixedly secured to the floor of the vehicle. A support bar extends between the risers spaced above the floor of the vehicle for pivotally supporting the seat assembly between a seating position generally parallel with the floor of the vehicle for supporting an occupant and a forwardly stowed position with said seat cushion generally upright relative to the floor of the vehicle. A pair of retractable support legs are pivotally coupled to the bottom of the seat cushion for movement between a support position extending between the seat cushion in the seating position and the floor of the vehicle and a storage position nested within a slot formed in the bottom of the seat cushion.

Abstract: The invention provides the combination of a seat frame, a cover, having a seam, covering the seat frame. An air bag unit is disposed inside the cover and is mounted to the frame. A pair of intensifier sheets sandwich the air bag unit there between. Each of the sheets has a first edge connected to the seam and a second edge supported by the seat frame. The combination is characterized by an interlocking fastener having outboard and inboard portions mechanically interlocked with the outboard portion connected to one of the second edges and the inboard portion connected to the other of the second edges. Each of the outboard and inboard portions includes a back panel extending in a strip between opposite ends. A plurality of J-shaped hooks are disposed in side by side relationship between the opposite ends. A plurality of slots separate adjacent J-shaped hooks and support ribs extend from the back panel and support each of the J-shaped hooks.

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 rotary vane internal combustion engine wherein the section of the rotor housing where ignition takes place is formed in the shape of a circular arc matching the curvature of the rotor, with the balance of the housing periphery being composed of a series of tangent arcs to define an elliptical shape that is continuously concave and has no drastic changes in curvature. The rotor and housing are "stretched" along their axial dimensions so that each combustion chamber has an axial measurement substantially greater than its circumferential measurement, and each segment of the rotor surface between adjacent vanes has formed therein a plurality of combustion chamber pockets spaced from one another along the axial dimension of the rotor and each provided with a spark plug.

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.

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.

Abstract: A "fold-out" or integral child restraint seat having a mechanism interconnecting a headrest member and a seat member for causing coordinated movement therebetween. When deployed the headrest member is automatically rotated to a raised position in coordination with movement of the seat member to its lowered position. Conversely, when stowed the headrest member is automatically rotated to a lowered position in coordination with movement of the seat member to its raised position. The integral child seat also provides an improved latching mechanism that is operable for positively retaining the integral child seat in both its stowed and deployed positions.

Abstract: A folding vehicle bedseat assembly having upper and lower seat cushion portions with corresponding upper and lower frames is disclosed. A preferred folding and support mechanism of the assembly provides for the seat assembly to be moved between an unfolded use configuration and a folded stowage configuration, as well as to be releasably retained in either of such configurations, by way of operation of a single actuation handle. The preferred folding mechanism also allows the seat assembly to be moved to the stowage position without substantially changing the forwardmost projection of the seat assembly.

Abstract: A manually operable four-way automotive seat adjustment assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a fore and aft adjustment mechanism together with a vertical adjustment mechanism that enables the seat frame member to pivot up and down relative to the carriage/base subassembly. A combination quadrant/lift link is pivotably mounted to the seat frame member and has a support pin fixedly attached thereto at a point radially spaced from the pivot point of the quadrant. The support pin is journalled to a mounting bracket that is slidably mounted to the carriage member so that the bracket can take up the fore and aft movement of the support pin as the quadrant rotates with the raising and lowering of the seat frame. The mounting bracket is preferably made of a hard plastic material to reduce noise and provide ease of operation.