Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Richard W Rees

Otto J Langmesser, Jr

James R Drouillard

A bearing assembly for seat slide structures includes, in one embodiment, a plastic cage which is preassembled with a flexible elongate member which can be bowed intermediate thereof to support the track members of a seat slide structure, with such track members being spaced by uncaged balls.

Bearing assembly for seat slide structures

A latch structure for a seat slide structure includes a latch member pivoted to the base wall of the movable one of a pair of track members and having a latch portion extending inwardly of the one track member and provided with at least one latched tooth engageable within openings in the track members to releasably latch the track members to each other. The latch member is biased to a latched position by a spring anchored between the latch member and the one track member. Where a pair of spaced seat slide structures are each provided with latch structures, simultaneous movement of the latch members of these structures to released position is effected by interconnecting the latch members with a slightly slack cable. A release lever is coaxially pivoted with one of the latch members and mounts a pulley engageable with the cable to effect shortening of the cable intermediate the anchored ends thereof and simultaneous movement of the latch members to released position.

Latch arrangement for a seat slide structure

A latching arrangement for seat slide structures includes a latch member which is fulcrumed on one track member of the slide structure and includes a latching portion which extends inwardly of the one track member and has latched teeth, engageable within openings in the other track member and in the one track. The latch member is biased to latched position by a hairpin type spring.

Latching arrangement for seat slide structures

A latching arrangement for seat slide structures includes a latch member having a body portion which is pivoted to an edge of an opening in the upper one of a pair of track members. A latch portion extends from the body portion and includes a pair of latch arms which extend opposite of each other for movement within a second opening in the one track member and any one of a plurality of openings in the other track member. The latch member is biased to latched position by a hairpin type spring mounted on the one track member.

A seat slide structure which includes upper and lower tracks, each formed of a pair of complementary opposite hand track members. The track members of the upper track interfit with the track members of the lower track and are normally interengaged therewith through a plastic spacer between the tracks. Occupancy of a seat supported by the slide structure compresses the spacer to release the upper track for movement relative to the lower track. The upper track is driven relative to the lower track by means of a gear housed between the members thereof and engageable with gear teeth of the spacer. Screwjack mechanisms are housed between the members of the upper track to support a seat thereon for vertical adjustment. The upper track members also support a gear mechanism to adjust the inclination of a seat back supported on the upper track.

Seat adjuster

A vertical seat adjuster for vehicle seats includes a seat support bracket. The rear portion of the bracket is supported on the vehicle by a lever which is rotatable through a screwjack mechanism to raise and lower the rear portion of the bracket. The front portion of the bracket is likewise supported on the vehicle by a rotatable lever. The front portion of the bracket mounts a pair of lock plates which are movable between engaged and released positions with respect to a detent mounted to the vehicle in order to lock the front portion of the bracket against movement. Each lock plate includes a series of alternating notches and abutments, with the notches and abutments of the locking plates being offset with respect to the other whereby the notch of one lock plate engages the detent to lock the bracket against movement while the abutment of the other engages the detent to maintain the other lock plate in released position. The alternating notches and abutment permits an increased number of adjusted positions of the bracket relative to the vehicle.

Vertical seat adjuster arrangement for vehicle seats

A bearing assembly for upper and lower track members of a seat slide includes a flexible elongate member which is bowed by engagement with a longitudinal rib of the upper track member to engage roller end portions of the elongate member with flanges of the lower track member when the seat is unoccupied and engage bearing means between flanges of the track members to locate the components of the seat slide in rattle free relationship. When the seat is occupied, the upper track member is shifted downwardly to engage the roller end portions of the elongate member with the upper track member and provide rollers slidably supporting the upper track member on the lower track member.

Bearing assembly for seat slide

A seat slide structure includes upper and lower track members having U-shaped leg portions which interfit with each other. The track members are spaced and laterally located by plastic slides which fit between the base of the upper track member and the bights of the legs of the lower track member. A locking plate is vertically movable within the upper track member and includes spaced pairs of locking portions engageable with spaced pairs of locking notches in the bights of the legs of the lower track member to provide a dual latch locking the upper track member in a horizontal position relative to the lower track member. The latch member is releasably biased to locked position and is released by a locking lever engageable therewith upon pivoting movement of the lever relative to the upper track member.

Seat slide structure

A seat slide structure includes upper and lower interfitting track members, with the upper track member mounting plastic slides to slidably support it on the lower track member for horizontal movement to various adjusted positions. A latch member is movably mounted within the upper track member and includes a first portion interfitting with the slides to locate the latch member laterally of the upper track member and second oppositely extending portions which extend outwardly of the upper track member through vertical elongated openings to locate the latch member longitudinally of the upper track member. The second portions are cooperable with notches of the lower track member to adjustably lock the upper track member in a horizontal position.

A vertical seat adjuster arrangement for vehicle seats includes spaced opposite hand mechanisms, each of which includes a seat support bracket. The rear portions of the brackets are supported to the vehicle by levers which are conjointly rotatable through a screwjack mechanism to raise and lower the rear portions of the brackets. The front portions of the brackets are likewise supported to the vehicle by conjointly rotatable levers. Each bracket mounts a lock plate which is movable between engaged and released positions with respect to a detent mounted to the vehicle in order to lock the front portions of the brackets against movement. Each lock plate includes a series of alternating notches and abutments, with the notches of one locking plate being offset with respect to the other to thereby obtain an increased number of adjusted positions of the brackets relative to the vehicle.

A seat position control mechanism includes an inboard slave track arrangement having a single track assembly and an outboard control track arrangement having a pair of the same track assemblies arranged in vertically stacked relationship. One of the outboard track assemblies provides for horizontal adjustment of the seat and the other provides for movement of the seat to and from an easy enter position. A control cable arrangement interconnects a tilting seat back and a latch mechanism for the other outboard track assembly to release a latch mechanism and permit movement of the seat to the easy enter position.

Seat position control mechanism

A vertical seat adjuster for vehicle seats includes a seat support bracket fixed to the seat and having front and rear arcuate slots. Front and rear levers are pivotally mounted on the vehicle and pivotally secured to the seat support bracket. The pivotal mountings of the levers are received through the slots of the bracket. A lock plate for each lever is slidably mounted on the bracket for movement between an engaged position wherein it engages the pivot means projecting through the slot of the seat support bracket to lock the bracket in a vertical adjusted position, and a released position, wherein the bracket is movable relative to the pivot means upon rotation of the lever thereabout. A manually operable release mechanism selectively and alternately moves the lock plates to released position and such plates are biased to engaged position.

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West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Richard W Rees