Lear Corporation

American Commercial Industries, Inc.

Michael D Via

George Aboud

Eric T Hartman

Steven M Baughan

Spencer D Cunningham, Ii

Ralph D Stiff

A vehicle seat for use in a vehicle having a floor includes a safety belt system mounted to and carried by the vehicle seat, a lower seat structure mounted to the floor, a seatback frame, and a pivot assembly connecting the seatback frame to the lower seat structure such that the seatback frame may pivot with respect to the lower seat structure. The pivot assembly includes a bracket connected to the lower seat structure, and a pivotable connector member connected to the seatback frame and pivotally connected to the bracket. The bracket has first and second side portions that define an open bottom, and the first and second side portions are connected to the lower seat structure.

Pivot assembly for a vehicle seat

A drive apparatus suitable for a power seat adjuster includes a rotatably threaded shaft disposed between an upper track movably mounted with respect to a stationary lower track. Coaxial apertures are formed in opposed side legs of a housing fixed to the lower track. A drive block having a bore threadingly engaged with the threaded shaft is disposed in the housing and in coaxial alignment with apertures in two side legs of the housing. A resilient cushion fills the housing and surrounds the drive block to vibrationally isolate the drive block from the housing and the lower track.

Reduced noise drive block for vehicle seat adjuster

An anti-theft apparatus is disclosed for a spare tire lift-and-carry apparatus having intermeshing gears. The anti-theft apparatus includes a movable pin engageable with the intermeshing gears, such that when the pin is in a first position, movement of the intermeshing gears is prevented, and when the pin is in a second position, movement of the intermeshing gears is permitted. The pin is normally biased toward the first position. An actuating member is operably connected to the pin for moving the pin from the first position to the second position. Preferably, the actuating member is located within a secure area of the vehicle, such as a passenger compartment, a trunk, or a car jack storage area. A lock is provided on the actuating member for temporarily locking the pin in the second position.

Anti-theft device for a spare tire carrier

A spare wheel storage apparatus for a vehicle includes a mechanism for moving a spare wheel between a storage position and an unloading position along a path of travel, and a wheel presentation mechanism for presenting the wheel extending at least to a partially exposed unloading position from underneath the vehicle, wherein the spare wheel extends generally horizontally with a portion protruding outwardly with respect to a vertical plane corresponding to an outermost external periphery of the vehicle body contour. The wheel presentation mechanism includes first and second elongated, flexible members, such as cables, wires or the like, connected to the vehicle body portion at positions disposed between the storage position and the vertical plane corresponding to the vehicle body contour. Each of the flexible members has one end connected to a wheel engaging member, and an opposite end connected to the vehicle body portion at positions spaced laterally from one another with respect to the path of travel of the spare wheel for providing lateral stability of the spare wheel during travel from the storage position to the unloading position. Preferably, the flexible member is a cable or pair of cables attached to the rim retainer or other wheel engaging member and also attached to the rear of the vehicle. If required, a pulley can be supplied adjacent the winch to better guide the cable into the winch and to prevent cross threading.

Growing community of inventors

Ortonville, MI, United States of America

Michael D Via