Abstract: A vehicle seat interlock mechanism includes a U-shaped channel member extending along a lower track of a seat and an interlock bracket mounted to a deformable mounting member at an upper track of the seat. The interlock bracket includes a seat belt anchor and a U-shaped channel at a lower end of the bracket. The interlock bracket is movable upwardly and forwardly in response to a seat belt force sufficient to deform the mounting member of the interlock bracket, whereby the two interlock channels engage to limit movement of the seat relative to the floor of the vehicle. The interlock bracket may include a portion extending forwardly over a gear box of a power drive system for the seat, such that the bracket is movable to compress the gear box to further retain the gear mechanism to a rack along the track assembly of the seat.

Abstract: A vehicle seat memory control apparatus includes motor driven adjustment mechanisms for various seat component adjustments for movement of various seat adjustments to a predefined easy entry seat position and movement of the seat from the easy entry position back to the last user selected displacement position of the seat component adjustments. Each motor drive provides multiple speeds of output shaft rotation, a higher speed selected by a controller for movement to the easy entry position and a lower speed for user selected seat adjustments and for movement from the easy entry seat position back to the last user selected seat displacement position. End of travel limits are provided for each seat component adjustment. The controller continually compares the current displacement position of each seat component adjustment with the respective end of travel limits to deactivate a drive motor when any end of travel limit is reached by a seat component adjustment.

Abstract: A lock apparatus selectively locks and unlocks a rotatable shaft from rotation. A brake disc is formed with opposed lock surfaces. First and second lock rings rotatably mounted on first and second bearing members are alternatingly moved by rotation along spaced projections on the adjacent first and second bearing members into locking engagement with the lock surfaces on the brake disc and away from the brake disc to an unlocked position. An outer member of each of the bearing members is held in a fixed position by engagement with first and second end caps mounted on the brake disc. An inner bearing member is axially movable with respect to the outer bearing member to bring bearings disposed in outer and inner races on the outer and inner bearing members into contact with thrust faces on the outer and inner members as axial force is imposed on the rotatable shaft to enable rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: A power seat adjuster includes a rotatable drive shaft with first and second axial ends and an intermediate arcuate portion connecting the first and second axial ends. The first and second axial ends are respectively axially connected to a drive motor gear assembly and to a driven lead screw. A horizontal drive block threadingly engaging the lead screw is rotatably and vertically translatingly mounted in an aperture in a lower track for self-alignment of the drive block with respect to the lead screw. A housing rotatably receives the axial connection between one end of the drive shaft and the lead screw. The bearing block is rotatably and translatingly mounted in a bracket fixed to an upper track for self-alignment of the drive shaft with the lead screw. A drive block engages the lead screw and is mounted for rotation and translation in a link.

Abstract: A motor vehicle seat recliner includes an upper member (34) which is supportive of a seat back (22) and a lower member (36) which is supportive of a seat cushion (21) and is carried for longitudinal adjustment within a host vehicle. An adjuster (40) is operative to establish a substantially fixed angular position between the members, the adjuster including a longitudinally disposed drive screw (62) which is restrained from axial displacement in one direction by an abutment surface (56) which is defined by a thrust plate (46) carried by the lower member and a link (130) which is pivotally interconnected to the screw by a traveling member (126) and is also pivotally interconnected to the upper member by a parallel arrangement of a link control bracket (144) and a displaceable lock plate (154), whereby frontal impact imposed moment arm forces will subject the link and screw to substantially pure compressive loading.

Abstract: A vehicle seat adjuster includes a pair of spaced upper tracks, each slidably mounted in one of a pair of lower tracks. A seat support arm connected to each upper track slidably extends through a slot formed in each lower track. A rod extends between each pair of track assemblies and releasably engages a notch formed in each support arm and one of a plurality of notches formed in the lower track to releasably lock the upper track in a stationary position relative to the lower track. A bearing conforming to the shape of the upper track is interposed between each upper and lower track. Support members are connected to each lower track to anchor each lower track to a vehicle floor. Cooperating resisting elements are formed in each upper and lower track pair and inter-engage under deforming load of the tracks and bearing to resist separation of the upper track from the lower track.

Abstract: A gear reducer includes a first non-rotatable gear. A second transfer gear formed of a resilient material engages the first gear. The second gear is eccentrically driven about the first gear by an eccentric collar mounted in the second gear and coupled to a motor output shaft. The second transfer gear nutatingly engages a rotatable third gear and moves one tooth of the third gear into alignment with one tooth of the first gear for each predetermined amount of rotation of the second transfer gear. A rotatable driven shaft is coupled to and rotated by the third gear. The first and third gears each have a plurality of gear teeth arranged at the same pitch circle diameter; but provided in a different number of teeth on each of the first and third gears to provide a selective reduction between the speed of rotation of the motor output shaft and the speed of rotation of the driven shaft coupled to the third gear.

Abstract: A vehicle seat adjuster includes a pair of spaced upper tracks, each slidably mounted in one of a pair of lower tracks. A seat support arm connected to each upper tracks slidably extends through a slot formed in each lower track. A rod extends between each pair of track assemblies and releasably engages a notch formed in each support arm and one of a plurality of notches formed in the lower track to releasably lock the upper track in a stationary position relative to the lower track. A bearing conforming to the shape of the upper track is interposed between each upper and lower track. Support members are connected to each lower track to anchor each lower track to a vehicle floor. Cooperating resisting elements are formed in each upper and lower track pair and inter-engage under deforming load of the tracks and bearing to resist separation of the upper track from the lower track.

Abstract: A motor vehicle seat recliner includes an upper member (34) which is supportive of a seat back (22) and a lower member (36) which is supportive of a seat cushion (21) and is carried for longitudinal adjustment within a host vehicle. An adjuster (40) is operative to establish a substantially fixed angular position between the members, the adjuster including a longitudinally disposed drive screw (62) which is restrained from axial displacement in one direction by an abutment surface (56) which is defined by a thrust plate (46) carried by the lower member and a link (130) which is pivotally interconnected to the screw by a traveling member (126) and is also pivotally interconnected to the upper member by a parallel arrangement of a link control bracket (144) and a displaceable lock plate (154), whereby frontal impact imposed moment arm forces will subject the link and screw to substantially pure compressive loading.

Abstract: A motor vehicle seat recliner includes an upper member (34) which is supportive of a seat back (22) and a lower member (36) which is supportive of a seat cushion (21) and is carried for longitudinal adjustment within a host vehicle. An adjuster (40) is operative to establish a substantially fixed angular position between the members, the adjuster including a longitudinally disposed drive screw (62) which is restrained from axial displacement in one direction by an abutment surface (56) which is defined by a thrust plate (46) carried by the lower member and a link (130) which is pivotally interconnected to the screw by a traveling member (126) and is also pivotally interconnected to the upper member by a parallel arrangement of a link control bracket (144) and a displaceable lock plate (154), whereby frontal impact imposed moment arm forces will subject the link and screw to substantially pure compressive loading.

Abstract: A device for adjusting the relative inclination of two elements, and in particular, the relative inclination of a back member of an automotive seat pivotally connected about a rotational axis to a base member of the seat for movement through a predefined arc is disclosed. The device can include at least an enveloping gear sector for pivotal connection to the base member about an axis generally coaxial with the rotational axis between the back and base members. The gear sector preferably includes plastic concave teeth formed thereon. An enveloping worm is provided for rotatable connection to the base member. The worm preferably is formed of at least one plastic concave worm having at least a single thread. The worm is disposed in double enveloping engagement with the gear sector. A rotatable cam is pivotally connecting the sector gear to the base member. The rotatable cam is pivotal along a predefined arc about an axis of rotation generally coaxial with the rotational axis of the back member.

Abstract: A power seat adjuster includes first and second spaced track assemblies, each formed of an upper track slidably mounted on a lower track anchored to a vehicle floor. A drive block disposed in each upper track rotatably engages a lead screw bi-directionally rotated by a drive transmission coupled to the output shaft of a horizontal drive motor mounted between the track assemblies. A drive block mounting bracket supports each drive block and has a leg extending through an elongated slot in the upper track and an aperture in the lower tracks to a fixed connection to the lower track. A seat support plate is disposed adjacent each upper track and is connected to a seat. A pair of vertical drive motors are each coupled through a lead screw, a rotatable shaft and pivot links to opposite ends of the seat support plates for selectively varying the vertical position of the ends of the seat support plates with respect to the track assemblies.

Abstract: A hinge pivotally moves a closure panel between two positions to open and close an access opening formed in a structure. The hinge includes a mounting plate connected to the structure. A strap is pivotally connected at a first end to the mounting plate and is fixedly connected at a second end to the closure panel. A clock biasing spring is connected at a first end to the mounting plate and has a second end rotationally and radially movable with respect to the first end. A link is pivotally connected at a first end to the strap at a position spaced from the pivot connection of the first end of the strap to the mounting plate.

Abstract: An automotive seating system including lightweight, high strength extrusions forming the track assemblies. The extrusions are formed with elongated abutment surfaces providing the sole reaction surfaces to resist separation of the track assemblies in the event of a crash. No separate reinforcements are needed.

Abstract: A seat slide structure is provided for supporting a vehicle occupant seat on a vehicle. An elongate channel is provided having a cylindrical guideway and an elongate slot. A generally cylindrical slide tube is coaxially received in the guideway with a planar support coupled to the tube and extending via this slot out through the channel member. Ring bearing means are provided within the channel member between the channel member and the slide tube to locate the slide tube coaxially slidable within the guideway End caps are provided coaxially about each end of the channel member and serve to couple the channel member to the vehicle floor with improved resistance to failure under stress load conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of utilization of the same of a vehicle seat recliner seat latch for setting the inclination of a vehicle seat back. An embodiment of the present invention includes a threaded rod pivotally mounted with respect to the seat. A sleeve is threadably connected on the rod and has pivotal means of connection with the seat back along a pivotal axis fixed with respect to the seat back. A locking means is provided to engage the sleeve to selectively and incrementally restrain the sleeve from rotation on the rod to set the inclination of the seat back. When the locking means is not engaged with the sleeve, the inclination of the seat back can be adjusted.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of utilization thereof of a seat adjuster with a vertical height adjustment mechanism. The seat adjuster has a vertically fixed support. Pivotally mounted to the support is an interior threaded sleeve. Projecting through the sleeve is a rod connected with the seat with threads of an opposite hand of the sleeve. Interposed between the rod and the sleeve is a knob which is threadably engaged with both the sleeve and the rod. Rotation of the knob causes the knob to have relative motion with respect to the sleeve and the rod to have relative motion with the sleeve to set the elevation of the seat. The present inventive vehicle seat adjuster is particularly useful in tri-mount vehicle type seating.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of utilization of the same of a vehicle seat recliner seat latch for setting the inclination of a vehicle seat back. An embodiment of the present invention includes a threaded rod pivotally mounted with respect to the seat. A sleeve is threadably connected on the rod and has pivotal means of connection with the seat back along a pivotal axis fixed with respect to the seat back. A locking mean is provided to engage the sleeve to selectively and incrementally restrain the sleeve from rotation on the rod to set the inclination of the seat back. When the locking means is not engaged with the sleeve, the inclination of the seat back can be adjusted.

Abstract: A manually operable seat adjustor assembly that combines the ease of operation of a long lever actuator, with the compactness of a short handle actuator. A handle assembly including an outer casing and an inner push rod movable within is pivoted to the side of the seat pan in common with a rear link of the seat supporting linkage. The tip of a locking rod passes through one of a series of positive detents, through a straight slot in the rear link, and through a clearance slot in the casing that has a straight portion alignable with the rear link straight slot. When the slots are so aligned, pushing on the push rod moves the locking rod tip out of the detent to free the linkage and into the aligned slots to rigidly hold the handle assembly to the rear link. Then, the linkage may be easily moved with the mechanical advantage of the entire handle, but when the handle is released, it pivots down freely under its own weight about the common pivot to an out of the way stored position alongside the seat pan.

Abstract: A bearing assembly for seat slide structures includes, in one embodiment, a plastic cage which is preassembled with a flexible elongate member which can be bowed intermediate thereof to support the track members of a seat slide structure, with such track members being spaced by uncaged balls.