Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co .kg

Robert Mallon

Todd Sturgin

Christopher Shamie

Chris Luipold

Shaun Tate

Stephen Carr

Cameron Gibson

Franklin Tibbits

A vehicle seat rotates in response to activation of an electric motor. The electric motor is part of a non-back-drivable mechanism such that it acts to lock the seat in position. The seat mechanism is assembled from stamped components for efficient manufacturing. A bracket includes integrally formed gear teeth which mesh with gear teeth driven by the electric motor. The bracket is held between two stamped parts using four-point angular contact ball bearings. The races of the ball bearings are stamped into the respective stamped parts.

Stamped splined locking mechanism for rotating automotive seat bracket

An actuating piston, and a piston assembly and a disconnect system including the actuating piston are provided. The actuating piston includes an annular backing plate having an axial projection on a first side between an inner radius and an outer radius and an annular piston having a recess between an inner radius and an outer radius. The annular piston is disposed on the annular backing plate so that the axial projection is received in the recess. The actuating piston is selected from a set of actuating pistons, each having a different height based on at least one of the wall thickness of the annular piston being varied or a height of the axial projection being varied, and one of the actuating pistons with a desired height is selected based on an actual height of the friction device.

Selectable height actuating piston

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, MI, United States of America

Robert Mallon