Johnson Controls Technology Company

Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.

Keith R Ziegler

Kurt A Seibold

Michael Leighton

Emery Jay Zadina

Timothy S Myers

Walter Daniel Merchant

Michael C Nazione

Mihai Butas

Yednesh A Parnaik

Michael J Leighton

A vehicle seat includes a seat back frame with an upper subframe pivot. A seat back subframe is pivotably connected to the seat back frame at the upper subframe pivot. An actuation assembly pivotably moves the seat back subframe relative to the seat back frame about the upper subframe pivot, between a seat back subframe design position and a subframe recline position. In the recline position a lower edge of the seat back subframe is positioned outwardly relative to the seat back frame with the seat back subframe pivoted to an angle relative to the seat back frame.

Vehicle seat

A vehicle seat system including a seat-bottom () and a.seatback () wherein the seatback () is prevented from rotating by both a recliner mechanism () and a latch mechanism () connected to the seatback (). The latch mechanism () is configured to be disengaged to permit rotation of the seatback (), to a forward position to aid ingress into a rearward positioned seat, which in turn releases a pair of tracks to shuttle the seat forward, to provide for easier ingress into a rearward positioned seat. When the latch mechanism () is released or unlocked, the recliner mechanism () release handle is free to rotate, but the lockout mechanism is prevented from, releasing the recliner mechanism. The seat is configured so that the seatback () unfolds and returns to the specific comfort position prior to activation of the latch mechanism release handle ().

A recliner mechanism () configured for selectively adjusting a seat back in a second row of a vehicle (), such as a sedan, includes a close out device () in the form of an adjustable package shelf () of the vehicle () to cover a gap between the seat back () and the vehicle structure () as the seat back () is moved from the fully reclined position. This package shelf recliner mechanism () further includes a track system () mounted relative to the vehicle structure (), a cross plate () coupled to the track system () and configured for translational movement relative thereto, a latch system () for releasably securing the cross plate () and an actuator, such as a handle or lever, for the user to selectively actuate the recliner mechanism ().

Recliner mechanism package shelf

Growing community of inventors

Westland, MI, United States of America

Keith R Ziegler