The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 31, 1988
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1987
Robert L Bell, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Fisher Dynamics Corporation, St. Clair Shores, MI (US);
Abstract
A seat recliner mechanism for a motor vehicle of the type which permits forward folding of the seat back and allows the reclined position of the seat back to be adjusted. In one type of recliner mechanism, a quadrant is provided having a curved toothed rack which meshes with a rotatable recliner gear. An adjusting mechanism acts on the recliner gear for either preventing or allowing the recliner gear to rotate, thus providing a means for adjusting the reclined position. These types of mechanisms are subject to severe loadings if the recliner is placed in a rearwardly adjusted position with the seat back folded forward, and the actuation mechanism released. In this condition, the recliner spring which acts on the quadrant or recliner gear rotates these components unopposed by the mass of the upper recliner structure. When these components read their extreme positions, severe loadings are imposed upon them. In accordance with this invention, a pawl is provided which is movable to engage with a fixed arresting rack. When the seat back is folded forwardly, the pawl engages with the arresting rack and if the recliner release mechanism is then actuated, the quadrant motion is arrested by the pawl and rack, thus preventing unrestrained movement of the rack.