Bertrand Faure Ltd.

Bertrand Faure Components Ltd.

Adolf Notta

Gulam Premji

Richard J Coggon

Velio Pressacco

Richard James Coggon

An infinitely adjustable linear locking assembly for vehicle seats is disclosed which includes a movable elongated element defining a longitudinal axis. First and second roller ball assemblies coaxial with the elongated element are provided, which assemblies have at least two substantially equidistantly spaced apart roller balls surrounding the elongated element. First and second roller ball housings contain the first and second roller ball assemblies, respectively. The housings are coaxial with the elongated element and have internal wedging surfaces for wedging the roller balls between the internal wedging surfaces and the elongated element. A rotatable locking member is provided adjacent to each roller ball assembly, with the locking member being coaxial with the moveable element and rotatable about the elongated element. Each locking member has a cam for urging each roller ball in an adjacent roller ball assembly into wedging relationship between the internal wedging surface and the elongated element upon rotation of the locking member in a first direction, and for releasing the wedging relationship upon rotation of the locking member in a second direction which is reverse to the first direction.

Linear locking device

A backlash reduction mechanism for incorporation into a selectively latchable vehicle seat hinge assembly for reducing the backlash between a plurality of interconnecting movably operative latch members positioned seriatim with respect to one another in the vehicle seat hinge assembly and method for producing the mechanism are disclosed. The latch members are retained in interposed relation between first and second hinge plates. One of the latch members, a manually operable lever means, is rotatably mounted about a second pivot axis on an eccentrically operative rotatably adjustable backlash reduction means, which is in turn rotatably mounted on the first and second hinge plates about a first pivot axis. The eccentrically operative rotatably adjustable backlash reduction means is for achieving selective adjustment of the relative positioning of one or more of the latch members to one another, wherein, when eccentrically operative rotatably adjustable backlash reduction means is rotated about the first pivot axis, it interacts with the latch member mounted thereon such that latch member is axially moved generally toward the next latch member positioned seriatim therewith, thereby to cause selective reduction in the amount of backlash between these two latch members and subsequently between other juxtaposed ones of the latch members.

Method of assembly for vehicle seat latch incorporating backlash

A vehicle seat hinge assembly having first and second generally opposed and parallel hinge plates rigidly connected in spaced relation to one another, and a central third hinge plate partially sandwiched between the first and second hinge plates is disclosed, together with a process for assembling the hinge assembly. The third hinge plate is connected in hinged relation to the first and second hinge plates by a pivot pin, which pin has a longitudinal axis and first and second shoulder portions extending in opposite axial directions from a centrally disposed annular hub portion, which shoulder portions each contain an amount of plastically deformable shoulder material. The shoulder material is plastically deformed during assembly into keyway slots formed in mounting openings provided in each of the first and second hinge plates, so that the deformed material prevents rotation of the pivot pin relative to the first and second hinge plates, so that the pivot pin is rotationally and axially fixed relative to the first and second hinge plates without the need for supplementary clips or other attachment mechanisms.

Vehicle seat assembly hinge and method of assembly

A vehicular seat back recliner hinge comprises first and second hinged members that are mutually rotatably arranged about a common pivot. The first member has a gear rack arranged thereon which is adapted to be engaged by a pinion spur gear. The pinion spur gear is fixed on an adjacent ratchet wheel spur gear in mutually dependent rotatable relation about a common concentric shaft secured on a second hinged member. A selected one of the above-mentioned shaft and pivot are eccentrically mounted on a rotatable bushing arranged on a corresponding one of the members. The bushing is operable to selectively position the pinion gear and the rack in first mutually proximal and second mutually spaced positions. A locking pawl arranged on a second of the members is adapted to lockingly engaged with and unlockingly disengage from the ratchet wheel spur gear, and the locking pawl is operably positionable in selected first locking and second unlocking positions corresponding to concurrent first mutually proximal and second mutually spaced positions of the rack and pinion mentioned above. In this way, the backlash between the rack and pinion is reduced when the locking pawl, the ratchet wheel spur gear, the pinion spur gear, and the rack are serially engaged in mutually secured relation to resist relative rotation between the two hinged members, about their common pivot. In addition, this arrangement permits backlash to be increased between the pinion spur gear and the rack when the locking pawl is serially disengaged from the ratchet wheel spur gear, in order to ease the relative rotation of the two hinged members about their common pivot.

Eccentric gear backlash take-up mechanism for seat latches

A vehicular seat back recliner hinge comprises first and second hinged members that are mutually rotatably arranged about a common pivot. The first member has a gear rack arranged thereon which is adapted to be engaged by a pinion spur gear. The pinion spur gear is fixed on an adjacent ratchet wheel spur gear in mutually dependent rotatable relation about a common concentric shaft secured on a second hinged member. A selected one of the above-mentioned shaft and pivot are eccentrically mounted on a rotatable bushing arranged on a corresponding one of the members. The bushing is operable to selectively position the pinion spur gear and the rack in first mutually proximal and second mutually spaced positions. A locking pawl arranged on a second of the members is adapted to lockingly engaged with and unlockingly disengage from the ratchet wheel spur gear. In this way, the backlash between the rack and pinion is reduced when the locking pawl, the ratchet wheel spur gear, the pinion spur gear, and the rack are serially engaged in mutually secured relation to resist relative rotation between the two hinged members, about their common pivot. In addition, this arrangement permits backlash to be increased between the pinion spur gear and the rack when the locking pawl is serially disengaged from the ratchet wheel spur gear, in order to ease the relative rotation of the two hinged members about their common pivot.

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Toronto, Canada

Adolf Notta