Canadian A.s.e. Limited

George Croft

Martyn Hiscox

A compact latching device for use with a vehicle seat assembly suitable for use in applications presenting a small design envelope, wherein one or more pawls are mounted on a seat-cushion member within an arcuate gear sector mounted on the other of the seat members so as to be simultaneously and selectively movable into and out of locking engagement with the gear sector so as to restrain pivotal folding of the backrest member relative to the seat-cushion member when secured in locking engagement, and so as to allow for pivotal folding of the backrest member relative to the seat-cushion member when removed out of locking engagement.

Compact latching device for seat assemblies

This invention provides an improved adjustable latching device for use with a vehicle seat assembly having a first and a second seat member pivotally foldable relative to one another about a pivot axis between folded and unfolded operative configurations. The device accommodates both the well-known 'dumping' and 'reclining' features and is comprised of a latch pin rigidly mounted on the first seat member so as to define a first concentric arc of movement upon said pivotal folding of the first seat member about the pivot axis and an idler plate having a generally arcuate gear sector and being mounted for rotation about the pivot axis. A locking arm is rotatably mounted on the idler plate and presents a detent portion position adjacent one end in spaced relation from the point of rotational movement of the arm so as to be adapted to lockingly engage the latch pin, which locking engagement in turn causes rotation of the idler plate with the first seat member in at least one rotational direction upon pivotal folding of the first seat member. A first rotational control means for selectively rotating the locking arm into and out of the aforementioned locking engagement is also provided. A pawl means having a head and a tail portion is pivotally mounted on the second seat member intermediate its head and tail portions for pivotal movement between a first rotational position at which the head portion lockingly engages the gear sector to prevent rotation of the idler plate and the second rotational position at which the head portion is disengaged from the gear sector to allow for rotation of the idler plate about the pivot axis. A second rotational control means for selectively rotating the pawl means between the aforementioned first and second rotational positions is also provided. The device disclosed is considerably simpler to manufacture and assemble than previously known devices having the same features.

Adjustable latching device with memory feature for vehicle seat

A seatback latching mechanism for use in a vehicle seat assembly having a backrest member pivotally tiltable over a seat member. The mechanism has a first latch means fixed relative to the seat member and a second latch means pivotally mounted on the backrest member for pivotal movement thereof between an unlatched and a latched position in which tilting movement of the backrest member over the seat member is restrained. Pendulum means are pivotally mounted on the backrest member for pivotal movement independently of the pivotal movement of the second latch means between first and second pendulum limit positions at which limit positions the pendulum means impinges upon the second latch means. In the normal upright position of the backrest member, the pendulum means is gravity biased to the first limit position in which the composite center of gravity of the pendulum means and the second latch means is positioned eccentrically of the pivot axis thereby urging the second latch means towards the unlatched position. Upon the occurrence of a first vehicular deceleration force sufficient to overcome the gravity biasing of the pendulum means to the first limit position, the pendulum means pivotally moves to the second pendulum limit position thereby increasing the sensitivity of the mechanism to latching, such that, upon the attainment of a second greater vehicular deceleration force, the second latch means moves rapidly to the latched position thereof.

Inertial latching mechanism for seat assemblies

An adjustment device for incrementally adjusting the inclination of a backrest member of a vehicle seat assembly, which backrest member is pivotably mounted with respect to a seat member. The adjustment device comprises a first hinge bracket rigidly secured to one of the members and a second hinge bracket rigidly secured to the other of the members, wherein the one of said first and second hinge brackets which is connected to the backrest member is pivotally moveable with respect to the other of said first and second hinge brackets. A first gear means is mounted on the first hinge bracket and is operationally connected to the second hinge bracket so as to effect the pivotal movement of the backrest member. A drive means is operationally connected to the first gear means and a control means is operationally connected to the drive means for activation thereof. A locking means is operationally connected to the drive means to resist movement of the drive means, the locking means comprising a first abutment face adapted for co-operation with an opposed second abutment face, the abutment faces providing respective mutually engageable abutment means which, in response to activation of the drive means by the control means, are brought into and out of engagement, thereby defining a series of inclination adjustment positions of the backrest member.

Growing community of inventors

Oakville, Canada

George Croft