Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Thomas M Frusti

Martin L Bray

Dee T Kapur

David James Hoffman

Robert J Mezzadri

Daniel C Bach, Jr

Mitchell Nicholas Williams

Robert F Kukla

A deployable passenger restraint system for an automotive vehicle has an occupant seat mounted on a seat track for adjustable movement in a longitudinal direction, the seat track having a movable rail in slidable relationship with the stationary rail mounted to the vehicle floor. The system includes a deployable restraint mounted in a forward location of the vehicle, a deployment mechanism for deploying the restraint, a deployment restraint processor for receiving and processing restraint deployment signals and for controlling the deployment mechanism, and a seat position sensor. The seat position sensor has a stepped flange adapted to be mounted along a predetermined length of a flange side of the movable rail, and a magnetic sensor adapted to be mounted to the stationary rail on a sensor side adjacent the flange side for sensing presence of the flange and relaying a single representative of seat position to the deployment processor. The magnetic sensor generates a single representing seat position in three zones, including a first zone represented by a first flange section having a first height, a second zone represented by a second flange section having a second height, and a blank section represented by that portion of the seat track not covered by a flange section.

Occupant restraint system with seat position sensor

A seat assembly for a motor vehicle includes a first row of seats, a second row of seats spaced from the first row of seats, a third row of seats spaced from the second row of seats, and the second row of seats slide laterally to allow ingress and egress to the third row of seats.

Seat assembly

A vehicle anti-theft system for an automotive vehicle positions the driver seat of the vehicle in an undriveable position. The system includes a seat having a seat back and a seat base both of which have a fore and aft position. A first motor is operatively coupled to the seat back for moving the seat back between the fore and aft position. A second motor is operatively coupled to the seat base for moving the seat base between the fore and aft position. An input device generates an activation signal. A controller is connected to the first motor, the second motor, the input device and a power source. The controller upon receiving the activation signal connects the power source to the first motor and second motor whereby the first motor moves the seat back to the fore position and the second motor moves the seat base to the fore position.

Theft prevention feature using power driver seat

A rotary action switch assembly for a vehicle seat includes a base member operatively connected to a seat portion of a vehicle seat, an actuator member operatively connected to a back portion of the vehicle seat, and a rotatable contact structure disposed between the base member and the actuator member for opening and closing circuits indicate of inclination of the back portion relative to the seat portion.

Rotary action switch assembly

An adjustable rotary action switch assembly for a vehicle seat includes a base member operatively connected to a seat portion of a vehicle seat, a first actuator member operatively connected to a back portion of the vehicle seat, a second actuator member operatively connected to a recliner mechanism interconnecting the seat portion and back portion, contacts disposed between the base member and the first actuator member for opening and closing circuits indicative of inclination of the back portion relative to the seat portion, and adjuster structure cooperating with the second actuator member and the contacts for adjusting contact between the contacts and one of the circuits upon movement of the recliner mechanism.

Adjustable rotary action switch assembly

A passenger seat (10) having a seat base (12) and a seam back (14) including an adjustable lumbar support member (70) is disclosed for enhancing passenger comfort and reducing passenger fatigue during long trips. The seat back (14) includes a pelvic support member (60) and a thoracic support member (74) flexibly interconnected to the lumbar support member (70) such that when the lumbar support member is adjusted, the pelvic and thoracic support members adjust to provide improved support for the back of the passenger.

Passenger seat with adjustable lumbar support

A vehicle seat for an occupant of a vehicle includes a generally horizontal seat portion mounted to vehicle structure, a generally upright back portion, a confection mechanism interconnecting the seat portion and the back portion to allow the back portion to rotate relative to the seat portion between a forward dump position and a rearward recline position and a powered mechanism for driving the back portion between the forward dump position and the rearward recline position in response to an occupant input.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Thomas M Frusti