Bertrand Faure Ltd.

Bertrand Faure Components Ltd.

Gulam Premji

Adolf Notta

Richard J Coggon

Simon X He

Velio Pressacco

Richard James Coggon

Simon Xunnan He

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 safety lock-out mechanism for use in a vehicle seat comprises a drive pin mounted on the seatback for movement between a initial free position and a retained position. A latch pawl is pivotally mounted on the baseplate for pivotal movement from a first position whereat the latch pawl is permitted to move from its latching position to its unlatching position under the urging by the drive pin, upon coincident respective movement of the drive pin from its initial free position to its retained position, at which retained position the drive pin is releasably latched. A blocking cam is pivotally mounted on the baseplate in progressive frictional contact with the latch pawl, for movement from a first position whereat the latch pawl is permitted to move from its latching position to its unlatching position under urging by the drive pin, to a blocking position whereat the latch pawl is retained in its latching position. A spring biases the blocking cam to its blocking position. A first cable member is interconnected between the blocking cam and a stationary portion of the vehicle seat track. Rearward sliding movement of the vehicle seat from its entry position to its design position causes the blocking cam to move to its first position under the urging of the first cable, thereby permitting the latch pawl to move from its latching position to its unlatching position, upon return movement of the drive pin from its retained position to its initial free position.

Safety lock-out mechanism for use in a sliding vehicle seat

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 mechanism for selectively locking a stationary element and a movable element mounted on the stationary element. The mechanism comprises a pawl block mounted within a casing for sliding movement in opposite first and second directions along a first axis substantially transverse to an engagement surface on the stationary element. The pawl block has a substantially 'V'-shaped cavity defined by two ramp surfaces which, together with the engagement surface, define a substantially triangular recess. A striated roller member is mounted within the recess for simultaneous circumferential engagement with the engagement surface and at least one of the inclined ramp surfaces when the pawl block is in its locking configuration. A wedge block is movable in opposite third and fourth directions along a second axis generally transverse to the first axis, between a blocking position, whereat the wedge block wedgingly engages the pawl block into the locking configuration, and a withdrawn position, whereat the wedge block is removed from such wedging engagement so as to permit movement of the pawl block from the locking configuration to an unlocked configuration.

Infinitely adjustable track locking mechanism

A seatback latching mechanism for use in a vehicle seat assembly having a seatback member pivotally tiltable over a seat cushion member is disclosed. The latching mechanism is used to secure the seatback member against pivotal movement in a forward angular direction relative to the seat cushion member, when the seatback member in its relatively upright angular orientation, by latching first and second hinged members. There are first and second stop means securely affixed to the first hinged member, first and second abutment means securely affixed to the second hinged member, and a selectively positionable latch member rotatably mounted on the first hinged members for movement between a latching position and an unlatching position. When the selectively positionable latch member is in the latching position, the first stop means and the first abutment means are in intimate contact with one another so as to preclude unwanted pivotal movement of the first and second hinged members with respect to each other in the rearward angular direction. Further, a first contact surface on the selectively positionable latch member and the second abutment means are in intimate contact with one another, and the selectively positionable latch member is physically interposed between the second stop means and the second abutment means so as to preclude unwanted pivotal movement of the first and second hinged members with respect to each other in the forward angular direction. Resultingly, there is substantially no radial lost motion between the first hinged member and the second hinged member in the first relative angular orientation.

Zero chuck vehicle seat latching mechanism

A selectively latchable vehicle seat hinge assembly has a first hinge arm and a first hinge plate each pivotally mounted about a common pivot axis for relative pivotal movement with respect to each other in first and second angular directions. A stop mechanism is mounted on the first hinge plate in interfering relation with the first hinge arm so as to limit the relative pivotal movement of the first hinge arm and the first hinge plate in the first angular direction. A latch plate is mounted on the first hinge plate. A latch pawl is pivotally mounted on the first hinge arm by way of an eccentrically operative, rotatably adjustable, backlash reduction mechanism for pivotal movement about a separate pivot axis distinct from the common pivot axis and for selective latching contact with the latch plate, so as to limit the relative pivotal movement of the first hinge arm and the first hinge plate in the second angular direction. The backlash reduction mechanism is mounted on the first hinge arm for rotation about a first pivot axis off-set and distinct from the common pivot axis to an optimized position, at which optimized position the backlash reduction mechanism interacts with the latch pawl to move the separate pivot axis and the latch pawl generally toward the latch plate, thereby to cause controlled reduction in the amount of backlash between the latch pawl and the latch plate.

Manual seat back latch for vehicles

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.

Growing community of inventors

Mississauga, Canada

Gulam Premji