Lear Corporation

Karl Schafer

Mladen Humer

Dale Fox

Paul Victor Pereira

Marc Borlaug

Nagarjun Yetukuri

Eric Brines

Marc Adam Rosenbrock

Mike Wilson

Gerry Locke

A seat assembly includes a seat including a back and an armrest assembly. The armrest assembly includes a fastener supported on the back of the seat and that defines an axis. A fixed spacer is disposed about the fastener, and a spring bushing is disposed about the fixed spacer. An armrest includes a frame having a rotating bushing supported on the spring bushing. As a result, the frame and the armrest can pivot relative to the fastener and the back of the seat. The spring bushing applies a radial force against both the rotating bushing and the fixed spacer.

Structure and method for pivotably supporting an armrest on a seat

A seat assembly having a foldable seat back. The seat assembly may have an upper bracket that may be connected to a recliner mechanism that may be configured to rotate about a first axis. A rivet may be disposed on the upper bracket and may rotate about a second axis.

Seat assembly having a foldable seat back

A tubular spring having a longitudinal slot that is attached between a movable member and a fixed attachment device. A recliner hinge assembly for a vehicle seat that includes an inboard recliner and an outboard recliner connected by a connecting rod. A split tube having a longitudinally extending slot is assembled over the connecting rod. The split tube biases the seat back toward a neutral position when the seat back is shifted to a position that is angularly offset from the neutral position.

Split tube return spring

A vehicle seat with an active head restraint system is provided with a seatback frame having a pair of side members. An armature extends transversely between the side members with a pair of lateral ends each pivotally connected to one of the side members. A head restraint rod extends from the armature for supporting a head restraint. An actuator is mounted to the seatback frame for actuating the armature. A bushing is mounted to the frame, the armature or the actuator. A rivet is mounted to the bushing and another of the frame, armature and actuator. The rivet preloads the bushing to minimize inadvertent movement at the connection. A method for assembling a vehicle seat is provided wherein the bushing is preassembled to the rivet. Another method for assembling a vehicle seat is provided wherein the rivet preloads the bushing to minimize inadvertent movement at the connection.

Connections for active head restraint systems for vehicle seats

A vehicle seat for use with a vehicle. The vehicle seat includes a seatback having a frame, a head restraint arrangement, an impact target arrangement, and a ratchet screw mechanism. The impact target arrangement is attached to the head restraint arrangement and moveably attached to the frame. The ratchet screw mechanism includes a first threaded member and a second threaded member. Upon application of a rearward force on the impact target arrangement, the first threaded member at least partially disengages the second threaded member to allow the head restraint arrangement to move from an initial position to a support position.

Growing community of inventors

Holly, MI, United States of America

Karl Schafer