Abstract: A dynamic head restraint mount (18) includes an low swinging impact plate (22) which swings back below a seat back frame top tube (10) in response to a sudden vehicle deceleration. As it swings back, the plate (22) causes the upper ends of a pair of upstanding head restraint support post guide tubes (24) to rock forwardly of the top tube (10), tilting the head restraint 14 forward. Concurrently, a linkage activated by the same impact plate (22) motion independently causes the support posts (12) of the head restraint (14) to slide up to a consistent highest position above the top tube (10), regardless of the adjusted position within the guide tubes (24) from which the support posts (12) began.

Abstract: A compartment type, hollow vehicle seat arm rest having a pivoted, latchable lid in which the entire arm rest and latched lid can be raised to a stored position rotated past absolute vertical. The latch is a flat, spring loaded plunger that moves back and forth within a latch housing that is molded entirely within the thickness of the lid itself. A thin, flat flip lever is freely pivoted against the back of the housing, trapped between a notched undersurface of the plunger and a flat bottom wall of the latch housing. When the arm rest is raised, the flip lever moves past vertical and falls away from the flat housing bottom wall and into the notched undersurface of the plunger, blocking it from being pushed in to unlatch the lid.

Abstract: A self-locking forkbolt uses an absolute minimum of components, comprising only a latch pivoted near a pin receiving slot in the flat surface of a structural member, with no need for a separate biasing spring to hold the latch closed across the slot and trap the pin. Instead of a separate spring, the latch is formed of an inherently resilient material that is pushed slightly away from the flat surface to which it is pivoted, in all positions but the fully closed position of the latch, by an integral tab. At the fully closed position of the latch, the tab snaps into a retention hole, to firmly lock the latch in its closed position to trap the pin in the slot.

Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided including a front leg with first and second ends, the front leg being pivotally attached to the vehicle floor adjacent the front leg first end; a seat cushion with front and rear ends, the front end being pivotally connected to the front leg second end; a rear leg with a second end pivotally connected to the seat cushion rear end, the rear leg having a first end pivotally connected to the vehicle floor, the rear leg first end having an attached first gear; a sector link having first and second ends, the sector link second end pivotally connected relative to the vehicle floor, the sector link second end having a second gear attached thereto being meshed with the first gear; an intermediate link with a rear end and a front end, the front end being pivotally connected to the sector link first end; and a seat back pivotally connected to the vehicle and pivotally connected to the rear end of the intermediate link, whereby when folding the seat back forwardly, the seat cushion forward end

Abstract: A latch system for a vehicle seat leg is provided. The seat has a seating position in which it is generally horizontally oriented with front and rear legs connected to the vehicle floor via floor pins, and the seat has a storage position wherein only the front legs are connected to the vehicle floor with the seat inclined upwardly.

Abstract: A releasably mounted seat for a van-type vehicle is provided which in an embodiment includes a rear leg biased to latch to a floor of a vehicle, a seat bun frame joined to the rear leg providing a seating surface, a backing plate pivotally mounted with respect to the bun frame and selectively adjustable with respect to the bun frame means, a seat back pivotally mounted with respect to the backing frame and foldable between a first position generally extending with the backing plate and a second position folded forward generally adjacent the bun frame, and a single handle providing control to selectively position the seat back in the first and second positions and the handle providing control to selectively adjust the position of the backing plate with respect to the bun frame, and the handle providing control over the engagement of the latch of the rear leg with the vehicle floor.

Abstract: A rear seat for an all purpose vehicle has front and rear legs that are releasably latched to pins located in escutcheons in the vehicle floor. The rear seat is manually folded and stored in the vehicle by releasing the rear legs and pivoting the seat forward on the front pins to a vertical position. The seat is removed from the vehicle by releasing the front legs when the seat is in the stored position and lifting the seat off the front pins. The latch mechanisms for the front and rear legs have locks so that the legs are not unlatched unintentionally. A lift assist mechanism is also provided for pivoting the seat forward on the front pins to the stored position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hinge assembly which comprises a three link, six pivot linkage arrangements constructed and arranged such that when a deck lid is being initially moved from its closed position toward an open position the deck lid will be caused to be rapidly moved vertically upward from its associated seal means with only very minor pivotal movement until the closure panel clears the seal means located adjacent the hinge assemblies whereby the exertion of transverse forces against the seal means due to any wiping action of the closure panel on the seal means as it is initially moved to its open position is minimized.

Abstract: A compact vehicle hood latch and pop-up device can be pressembled as a unit and mounted to a vehicle and cooperate with a single striker on the hood to effect latching, pop-up and unlatching of the hood. It includes a pivotal primary latch, a detent lever cooperable with the primary latch, a pop-up lever extending across the path of the striker to effect movement of the latter to a pop-up position when the primary latch is released and a secondary latch to release the striker from its pop-up position.

Abstract: A hood release assembly which can be snap fittingly attached to an instrument panel having a rectangular opening. The assembly includes a plastic housing having one end slidably connected to the panel via a tongue and groove connection and its opposite end snap fittingly attached to the panel via an integral fastener on the housing, a cable release lever having integral pivot pins which are snap fittingly received within complementary shaped openings in the housing and a rear cover which is integrally connected to the housing via a living hinge at one end and releasably detentable with the housing at its other end to permit access to the housing from the rear thereof.

Abstract: A remotely releasable fuel filler door assembly has a limited and controlled opening motion provided by cooperating detents molded to relatively flexible spaced walls of a plastic hinge member and a plastic hinge box, so that the potential damage from an initial, wide opening is avoided.