Manual seat back latch for vehicles

Abstract

A selectively latchable vehicle seat hinge assembly has a first hinge arm and a first hinge plate each pivotally mounted about a common pivot axis for relative pivotal movement with respect to each other in first and second angular directions. A stop mechanism is mounted on the first hinge plate in interfering relation with the first hinge arm so as to limit the relative pivotal movement of the first hinge arm and the first hinge plate in the first angular direction. A latch plate is mounted on the first hinge plate. A latch pawl is pivotally mounted on the first hinge arm by way of an eccentrically operative, rotatably adjustable, backlash reduction mechanism for pivotal movement about a separate pivot axis distinct from the common pivot axis and for selective latching contact with the latch plate, so as to limit the relative pivotal movement of the first hinge arm and the first hinge plate in the second angular direction. The backlash reduction mechanism is mounted on the first hinge arm for rotation about a first pivot axis off-set and distinct from the common pivot axis to an optimized position, at which optimized position the backlash reduction mechanism interacts with the latch pawl to move the separate pivot axis and the latch pawl generally toward the latch plate, thereby to cause controlled reduction in the amount of backlash between the latch pawl and the latch plate.