Intier Automotive Inc

Scott Lavoie

Brent Frazier

Omar D Tame

James Leo Weber

A powered track assembly () is provided for allowing selective forward and rearward adjustment of a seat assembly () along an interior floor of an automotive vehicle. The upper track () is fixedly secured to a bottom portion of the seat assembly (). A rigid shaft () having a generally continuous helical thread () is rotatably supported by the upper track (). A plurality of nuts () is threadingly engaged with the shaft (). A cage () having a plurality of compartments () is fixedly secured to the lower track (). Each compartment () supports one nut () to allow relative rotational movement of the rigid shaft () relative to the nuts (). The nuts () are allowed a predetermined amount of movement within the respective compartments () to prevent binding between the nuts () and the rigid shaft () due to relative lateral or vertical movement between the upper and lower tracks.

Power seat track having a flexible support assembly for a lead screw

A transfer case assembly () for selectively moving a seat assembly in a plurality of adjustment directions. The assembly comprises a motor () and a drive shaft () operatively connected to the motor () for rotation in response to actuation of the motor. A plurality of driving gears () are mounted to the drive shaft for rotation therewith. A plurality of driven () shafts corresponding with the respective plurality of driving gears are provided for independently controlling movement of the seat assembly in the fore/aft, up and down direction. A driven gear is rotatably mounted to each of the driven shafts and meshed with a respective one of the driving gears for rotation therewith. A coupler () is disposed adjacent to each of the driven gears for selectively coupling the driven gears to the respective driven shafts (). A solenoid () is disposed adjacent to each of the couplers () for operative engagement therewith for selectively coupling the driven gears with the respective driven shafts to transfer rotation of the drive shaft to rotation of the driven shafts through independent or simultaneous actuation of the solenoids and the motor whereby the seat assembly may be moved in one or more of the plurality of adjustment directions.

Triple output transfer case for a vehicle seat

A seat assembly includes a seat cushion having a riser releasably secured to a floor. A seat back operatively coupled to the seat cushion pivots between seating and folded positions. A recliner is coupled between the seat back and seat cushion. Rotation of an input shaft actuates the recliner between locked and unlocked states. A lockout mechanism controls actuation of the recliner and includes a lock plate fixedly secured to the input shaft and a lock arm operatively coupled to the riser. The lock arm moves between a retracted position allowing rotation of the input shaft and actuation of the recliner when the riser is latched to the floor and an extended position wherein the lock plate abuts the lock arm preventing rotation of the input shaft and actuation of the recliner when the seat back is in the folded position and the riser is unlatched from the floor.

Seat assembly with seat back lockout

A seat assembly selectively engages forward and rearward strikers along a floor of a motor vehicle. The seat assembly includes a seat cushion and a seat back pivotally coupled to the seat cushion. The seat assembly also includes a seat riser mounted to the seat cushion and including spaced apart rear legs. The seat riser includes rear latches operatively coupled to each of the rear legs for movement between a latched position engaged with the rear latches and an unlatched position disengaged from the rear latches. A spring assist member includes a lever portion extending between a first end fixedly secured to said rear leg and an opposite second distal end for engaging the rearward striker to assist in pivoting said seat assembly about the forward strikers as said rear latches release the rearward strikers in the unlatched position.

Automotive seat assembly having a rear latch lockout and spring assist

A seat assembly is adapted to be mounted along a floor of a motor vehicle. The seat assembly includes a seat cushion frame having a forward end and a rearward end for supporting an occupant on the seat assembly. The seat assembly also includes a front support structure pivotally coupled to the forward end of the seat cushion frame. The front support structure pivots the seat assembly between a generally horizontal seating position and a generally upright tumbled position. In addition, the seat assembly includes a locking strut extending between a first end, which is coupled to the front support structure, and an opposite second end, which is coupled to the rearward end of the seat cushion frame. The locking strut locks and retains the seat assembly in any location between the seating position and the tumbled position in response to an acceleration force exerted on the seat assembly above a predetermined threshold. As a result, inadvertent pivoting of the seat assembly towards the seating position is prevented.

Tumble seat assembly having locking strut

A vehicle seat latch assembly including a structural latch member having a first engagement surface that is adapted to secondarily engage a striker. A deformable latch member is attached to the structural latch member and has a second engagement surface that extends beyond the first engagement surface for primary engagement with the striker. The second engagement surface has a greater offset angle derived from a pivot point than the offset angle of the first engagement surface derived from the pivot point.

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Red Oak, IA, United States of America

Scott Lavoie