Excel Industries, Inc.

Dura Global Technologies, Inc.

Thomas W Paisley

Pascal Emanuel Garrido

Ruben Hernandez

Roger L Brock

Mark R Truman

Otto Volker

A seat track assembly for a motor vehicle includes a first or lower track assembly comprising a lower track, a second or upper track assembly operably connected to the lower track assembly and comprising an upper track movable relative to the first track, and a latch selectively movable from a latching position wherein the upper track is secured with respect to the lower track and an unlatching position wherein the upper track is movable with respect to the lower track. The upper track has a generally vertical side wall and the latch extends laterally adjacent the side wall. The latch includes an attachment portion secured to the upper track, a latch portion adapted to cooperate with the lower track to form an interlock therebetween and substantially prevent movement of the upper track relative to the lower track, and an intermediate portion connecting the attachment portion and the latch portion. The latch is preferably a unitary member formed of spring steel. The attachment portion preferably forms a snap-fit connection with the upper track. The intermediate portion preferably includes a pair of longitudinally extending, parallel and vertically spaced apart legs which form a double leaf spring to bias the latch portion toward the latching position. The latch portion preferably has a plurality of windows which cooperate with locking teeth of the lower track to form the interlock or a plurality of locking teeth which cooperate with the windows of the lower track to form the interlock.

Single-piece spring-steel seat adjuster latch

An easy entry seat track assembly with single point memory comprises a lower track assembly and an upper track assembly, slidably engaging the lower track assembly. A latch releasably secures the upper track assembly to the lower track assembly. Operation of a towel bar or the like is provided for comfort adjustment of the upper track assembly relative to the lower track assembly. Also, single point memory is provided for moving the latch from a latching position to an unlatching position, holding in the unlatching position temporarily and returning the latch to the latching position when the upper seat track is moved to a predetermined position. The single point memory comprises a cam plate mounted on the upper track assembly. A memory mechanism attached to the latch is contacted by the cam plate as it rotates from an open position to a memory position, moving the latch to the unlatching position. The cam plate is held in the memory position until the upper track slides to the predetermined position where, for example, the cam plate contacts a reset flange which returns the cam plate to the open position.

Easy entry seat track assembly with single point memory

A rollerless seat track assembly and a motor vehicle seat having a rollerless seat track assembly is shown having a lower track mounted to a base or floor of a motor vehicle, and a slidable upper track attached to a seat base. The upper track has a top wall and a pair of side walls. The lower track has a pair of flanges positioned adjacent a primary load bearing contact surface. Preferably a low friction coating, such as a PTFE epoxy paint is applied to the primary load bearing contact surface of the lower track, and a preferably elongate glide strip or glide member may be affixed to a lower side of the top wall of the upper track. As the seat track slides back and forth, the glide strip would slide over the low friction coating, minimizing the efforts required to adjust the seat. Lateral stability may be enhanced by lateral stabilization ball bearings running in raceways between the upper and lower tracks. Preferably a swizel stick or retainer having a series of openings sized to receive the ball bearings is positioned in each raceway to maintain proper spacing of the ball bearings. Optionally the raceway may have four contact points with each ball bearing. The tracks may be interlocking, that is, capable of resisting upward dislocation forces.

Growing community of inventors

Warren, IL, United States of America

Thomas W Paisley