Excel Industries, Inc.

Mark L Gleason

Egon Nithammer

Dana D Kregling

A latch mechanism, particularly for securing a pivoting member of a motor vehicle seat with respect to a fixed member is disclosed, comprising, a latch plate having a tooth, a notch flanked by a front ramp and a rear ramp, and a rear stop, and a cam which is releasably engageable with the latch plate, the cam having a nose, a front face, a contact face and a heel. The cam is pivotable from a non-latching position to a normal latching position. In the latching position the contact face of the cam is urged against the rear ramp of the latch plate and the heel avoids contacting the rear stop. In response to a sudden change in velocity in a first direction the heel of the cam contacts the rear stop to resist movement of the cam the non-latching position. Preferably the contact face forms and angle with the back ramp of about 10 to 20 degrees, and the front face and the front ramp have generally equivalent curved surfaces.

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Kalamazoo, MI, United States of America

Mark L Gleason