Abstract: A locking assembly for a vehicle armrest includes a pivoting stopping member disposed below an armrest body and a catch wire disposed on a seat back frame member. A retractable stop pin maintains engagement of the pivoting stopping member and the catch wire. A release is operatively connected to the retractable stop pin, which may be urged into engagement with the pivoting stopping member by a spring. Armrest and seat assemblies including the locking assembly are provided.

Abstract: A locking assembly for a vehicle armrest includes a pivoting catch member disposed below an armrest body and a catch wire disposed on a seat back frame member. A retractable stop pin maintains engagement of the pivoting catch member and the catch wire. A release is operatively connected to the retractable stop pin, which may be urged into engagement with the pivoting catch member by a spring. Armrest and seat assemblies including the locking assembly are provided.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle seat having a seat frame and a plurality of wire anchors attached to a lateral member of the seat frame. Each wire anchor is formed from a single continuous metallic wire and comprises an anchor portion, a first end that extends from the anchor portion and tangentially engages the lateral member proximate a top portion of the lateral member and extends downward over a rear portion of the lateral member and a second end that extends from the anchor portion and tangentially engages the lateral member proximate a bottom portion of the lateral member and extends upward over the rear portion of the lateral member, and wherein the wire anchor is free of engagement with a front portion of the lateral member.

Abstract: An inertial lock assembly for a vehicle armrest includes a stopping member disposed on an armrest attachment bracket and a catch pin for engaging the stopping member. The catch pin is disposed on an armrest link journaled at one end to the attachment bracket and at an opposed end to an armrest frame. The stopping member pivots to engage the catch pin. A guide pin disposed on the armrest attachment bracket is configured to slide within an arcuate guide slot in the stopping member, to restrict a range of pivoting movement of the stopping member. A stop disposed on the armrest link is configured to bias an end of the arcuate guide slot against the guide pin when the armrest attachment bracket and armrest link are in a stowed configuration or in a fully deployed configuration. Armrest and seat assemblies including the inertial lock assembly are described.

Abstract: A locking assembly for a vehicle armrest includes a pivoting stopping member disposed below an armrest body and a catch wire disposed on a seat back frame member. A retractable stop pin maintains engagement of the pivoting stopping member and the catch wire. A release is operatively connected to the retractable stop pin, which may be urged into engagement with the pivoting stopping member by a spring. Armrest and seat assemblies including the locking assembly are provided.

Abstract: An inertial lock assembly for a vehicle armrest includes a stopping member disposed on an armrest attachment bracket and a catch pin for engaging the stopping member. The catch pin is disposed on an armrest link journaled at one end to the attachment bracket and at an opposed end to an armrest frame. The stopping member pivots to engage the catch pin. A guide pin disposed on the armrest attachment bracket is configured to slide within an arcuate guide slot in the stopping member, to restrict a range of pivoting movement of the stopping member. A stop disposed on the armrest link is configured to bias an end of the arcuate guide slot against the guide pin when the armrest attachment bracket and armrest link are in a stowed configuration or in a fully deployed configuration. Armrest and seat assemblies including the inertial lock assembly are described.

Abstract: A seat frame assembly includes a seat portion and a seat back. Upper and lower tracks are positioned beneath the seat portion. The upper track is connected to the seat portion. The tracks are slidable relative to one another to move the seat portion and the seat back. A seat belt restraint is positioned underneath the seat back between the seat portion and the upper track and is connected to the upper track. A riser is positioned on a floor beneath the lower track. A load cell is interposed between the lower track and the riser at a level below the seat belt restraint. A fastener extending through the cell mounts the lower track to the riser. The cell generates a signal indicative of the weight of a seat portion occupant. A spring may be interposed between the cell and the lower track to impart a predetermined load on the cell to enhance the system resolution.

Abstract: A vehicle modular three-across seat, or, so-called, split bench seat assembly, including two wide outboard seat structures and a narrower middle seat structure. Each outboard seat structure is supported on the floor of the vehicle by four corner anchors for independent forward and aft movement. The middle seat is supported in a fixed manner by four corner support brackets extending outwardly and downwardly to mount on the adjacent two pairs of front and rear corner anchors. The modular three-seat assembly is adapted to be installed as a unit in the vehicle by securing the four corner anchors of each of the two outboard seat structures to the vehicle floor pan.

Abstract: An underseat storage bin is used with a pivotable vehicle bench seat in a vehicle having a floor surface. The bench seat is pivotable between a horizontal seating position and an upright stowed position for providing access beneath the seat. The bench seat is supported on seat support members at opposing ends. The storage bin includes a blow-molded bin structure having first and second ends removably attachable to the seat support members. The bin structure includes a plurality of generally vertical compartment walls arranged to form a plurality of storage compartments. At least one of the storage compartments extends substantially the entire length of the bench seat for storing long items. The compartment walls form open bottoms therebetween, such that the vehicle floor surface forms the bottom of each storage compartment for supporting items stored in the storage bin.

Abstract: An automotive seat assembly having a J-lock safety device which interlocks a rear seat entry track mechanism during high load situations. The entry track mechanism comprises a lower track and an upper track movably supported by the lower track for providing fore and aft movement of the seat assembly along a longitudinal axis. A downwardly facing first hook is attached to the lower track and has a J-shape with a long leg and a short leg interconnected by a bottom. An upwardly facing second hook is attached to the upper track and has a J-shape with a long leg and a short leg interconnected by a bottom. The short legs are in mechanically overlapping relationship for limiting relative movement of the tracks in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A bench seat has a backrest cushion and a seat cushion, and can convert between a normal use position and a non-use position where the seat cushion is folded flat against the backrest cushion. The bench seat can also be removed completely from the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The seat cushion includes a tubular frame member. A seat belt buckle includes a strap which connects to a seat bracket welded to the frame member of the seat cushion. A shank extends from the seat bracket and includes a T-shaped male coupling end. A floor bracket is attached to the vehicle floor and has a female coupling which interlocks with the male coupling when the bench seat is in the use position for establishing a secondary path of restraint directly between the seat belt buckle and the floor to transfer restraint loads directly to the floor in the event the frame member of the bench seat yields under restraint loads imposed during sudden deceleration.

Abstract: A vehicle modular three-across seat, or, so-called, split bench seat assembly, including two wide outboard seat structures and a narrower middle seat structure. Each outboard seat structure is supported on the floor of the vehicle by four corner anchors for independent forward and aft movement. The middle seat is supported in a fixed manner by four corner support brackets extending outwardly and downwardly to mount on the adjacent two pairs of front and rear corner anchors. The modular three-seat assembly is adapted to be installed as a unit in the vehicle by securing the four corner anchors of each of the two outboard seat structures to the vehicle floor pan.

Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a seat back cushion assembly having a lower end and an upper end, and a seat cushion assembly having one end adjacent the lower end of the seat back assembly and an opposite end. A mounting structure is provided and is constructed and arranged with respect to the upper end of the seat back cushion assembly to mount the same so that the upper end does not move appreciably in a horizontal direction but can have limited vertical movement.

Abstract: A cover of generally rectangular shape having a deformation reinforced central section comprises thermoforming top and bottom sheets of thermoplastic to form a specially configured arrangement of strengthening ribs which extend in longitudinal and oblique directions and of a post and receptacle centrally of the sheets, and pressing the sheets together to form a closed interior. The longitudinal ribs on the bottom sheet intersect and are welded to the oblique ribs or the top sheet respective and the post is welded into the receptacle to reinforce the center of the cover. The sheet edges are welded together to reinforce the cover shape and form a reinforced hinge support.