Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VEHICLE SEATING HAVING RELEASABLE KEEPER FOR TOWEL BAR
Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention relates to a seat track assembly for an automotive
vehicle.
More particularly, this invention relates to a keeper assembly for selectively
decoupling a
towel bar when a predetermined load is applied to the towel bar.
Background Of The Invention
(0002] A seat adjuster or seat track assembly is used for selectively
adjusting the
fore aft position of a seat assembly in a motor vehicle. The typical seat
track assembly
includes a first fixed seat track that is fixed to a vehicle structure, such
as a floor, and a
second movable seat track that is slidably supported on the first track for
sliding
movement relative to the first track. A seat cushion of the seat assembly is
mounted to
the second track such that sliding movement of the second track relative to
the first track
allows adjustment of the seat assembly fore and aft with respect to the
vehicle. Often, the
adjustment of the seat asseinbly is controlled by a manual seat adjuster.
[0003] The manual seat adjuster provides fore and aft adjustment of the seat
assembly through the use of a towel bar or other handle to engage and
disengage a latch
that selectively locks the seat tracks together. The towel bar typically has a
handle
portion which is located at the front of the seat assembly, directly below the
seat cushion.
The towel bar is typically pivotally connected to the sliding track at a point
that is located
rearward of the handle portion, under the seat cushion. Typically the latch
has teeth
which engage slots spaced along the length of the fixed track. When an
operator pulls
upward on the handle of the towel bar, the towel bar pivots and the latch is
urged out of
engagement with the fixed track, which permits fore and aft adjustment of the
seat
assembly. United States Patent nos. 5,046,698; 5,741,000; 6,322,036 and
publication No.
US 2005-0285005 Al are examples of a prior art seat track assemblies.
[0004] While such towel bar and latch designs are common today, current
designs
are subject to over-bending and part breakage when the handle of the towel bar
is
exposed to downward abuse loading, by being stepped on for example. It would,
therefore, be desirable to provide a seat adjuster or seat track assembly
having a
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
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therefore, be desirable to provide a seat adjuster or seat track assembly
having a
selectively releasable coupling between the latch and the towel bar to prevent
incurring
damage to either under abuse loading.
Summary Of The Invention
100051 According to one aspect of the invention, a seat track assembly is
provided
for mounting a seat assembly to a floor of a motor vehicle. The seat track
assembly
includes a track mechanism having a fixed track adapted to be mounted to the
floor and a
movable track slidingly adjustable relative to the fixed track. The seat track
assembly
also includes a latch that is operatively coupled to the movable track for
selectively
locking the movable track relative to the fixed track. Further, the seat track
assembly
includes an actuator that is pivotally coupled to the movable track and is
operatively
coupled to the latch for releasing the latch to allow sliding movement between
the fixed
and movable tracks. Finally, the seat track assembly includes a keeper
assembly that
retains and positions the actuator. The keeper assembly selectively decouples
the
actuator from the seat track assembly when the actuator is urged to move
beyond a
normal range of movement.
Brief Description Of The Drawings
[0006] Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the
same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed
description when
considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seat track assembly including a
keeper
assembly releasably coupled to a towel bar according to the invention;
[0008] Figure 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the seat track assembly
illustrating the keeper assembly with the towel bar in a use position;
[0009] Figure 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the seat track assembly
illustrating the keeper assembly with the towel bar in a partially released
position; and
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[0010] Figure 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the seat track assembly
illustrating the keeper assembly with the towel bar in a released position.
Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiment
[0011] Referring to Figure 1, a seat track assembly, generally shown at 10,
includes a pair of laterally spaced apart track mechanisms, generally
indicated at 12, 14.
The track mechanisms 12, 14 are provided to mount a seat assembly (not shown)
to a
floor 16 of a motor vehicle. Each track mechanism 12, 14 includes a fixed
track 18 that
is adapted to be mounted to the floor 16 and a movable track 20 slidingly
engaging the
fixed track 18. The fixed 18 and movable 20 tracks define a longitudinal axis
22. The
movable track 20 is adjustable relative to the fixed track 18 along the
longitudinal axis 22
for moving the seat assembly fore and aft within the vehicle.
[0012] An actuator, generally indicated at 24 extends between the spaced apart
track mechanisms 12, 14. The actuator 24 allows a seat occupant to adjust the
seat
assembly fore and aft by lifting or pulling upward on the actuator 24 which is
located
below a seat cushion (not shown) of the seat assembly. In the embodiment
shown, the
actuator 24 is a towel bar. The towel bar 24 includes laterally spaced apart
first 26 and
second 28 legs. The first leg 26 is disposed adjacent to the track mechanism
12 and
extends between a proximal end 30 and a distal end 32. The proximal end 30 of
the first
leg 26 is pivotally coupled to the movable track 20 about a pin (not shown).
The second
leg 28 is disposed adjacent to the track mechanism 14 and extends between a
proximal
end 34 and a distal end 36. The proximal end 34 of the second leg 28 is
pivotally coupled
to the movable track 20 about a pin 38. The towel bar 24 also includes a
central handle
portion 40 extending laterally between the distal ends 32, 36 of the first 26
and second 28
legs.
[0013] The towel bar 24 is operatively connected to a pair of latches,
generally
indicated at 42, 44. While in a preferred aspect, the actuator 24 has been
described above
as being a towel bar 24, it is contemplated that the actuator 24 may be any
device or
mechanism that could be utilized to effect movement of the latches 42, 44.
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[0014] A first keeper assembly, generally indicated at 46, extends between the
first leg 26 of the towel bar 24 and the latch 42. A second keeper assembly,
generally
indicated at 48, extends between the second leg 28 of the towel bar 24 and the
latch 44.
The attachment of the first 46 and second 48 keeper assemblies to the first 26
and second
28 legs of the towel bar 24 results in the latches 42, 44 being operatively
connected to the
towel bar 24.
[0015] Referring now to Figures 2 through 4, only one side of the seat track
assembly 10 will be described in detail, however, it will be appreciated that
both sides are
substantially the same. The second keeper assembly 48 includes a rigid upper
portion 50
and a generally C-shaped, flexible lower portion 52. The upper portion 50 is
fixedly
coupled to the latch 44. The lower portion 52 is releasably coupled to the
second leg 28
of the towel bar 24. More specifically, the lower portion 52 extends between a
first end
54 and a second end 56 defining an axial passageway 58 along a longitudinal
axis 60.
When the towel bar is in a use or deployment position, as shown in Figure 2,
the second
leg 28 extends through the axial passageway 58 and is retained therein by the
lower
portion 52. The lower portion 52 includes a first C-shaped arm 62 and a second
C-
shaped arm 64, positioned in a face to face relation, having spaced apart and
opposing
bottom edges 66, 68. The bottom edges 66, 68 define an opening or gap
therebetween,
generally shown at 70. Although, the first 46 and second 48 keeper assemblies
are
formed from a flexible plastic material in the current embodiment, it is
appreciated that
the particular material for the first 46 and second 48 keeper assemblies may
vary without
varying from the scope of the invention.
[0016] In the embodiment shown, the latch 44 includes a first end 72 and a
second end 74. The upper portion 50 of the second keeper assembly 48 is
fixedly
coupled to the first end 72 of the latch 44. In this example, upper portion 50
is fitted onto
the first end 72 and retained in a snapping engagement. The second end 74 of
the latch
44 includes a plurality of teeth 76. The latch 44 has a normal operating range
of
movement between a locked position wherein the teeth 76 engage slots or
windows (not
shown) in the fixed track 18 to lock the movable track 20 with respect to the
fixed track
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18, and an unlocked position wherein the teeth 76 are out of engagement with
the fixed
track 18 to allow sliding movement of the movable track 20 relative to the
fixed track 18.
Other latch mechanisms well known in the art may also be utilized.
[0017] In operation, beginning with the towel bar 24 in the use or deployment
position, shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first 26 and second 28 legs of the
towel bar 24 are
disposed in the axial passageway 58 of the first 46 and second 48 keeper
assemblies,
respectively. In addition, the latches 42, 44 are in the locked position with
the teeth 76 of
each of the latches 42, 44 engaging the windows in the respective fixed tracks
18 to
prevent the movable tracks 20 from moving relative to the fixed tracks 18,
thus
preventing fore and aft movement of the seat assembly.
[0018] When the central handle portion 40 of the towel bar 24 is lifted in an
unlocking direction, the first 26 and second 28 legs pivot relative to the
respective track
mechanisms 12, 14, toward the bottom of the seat cushion. The upward movement
of the
towel bar 24 presses the first 26 and second 28 legs against an upper portion
of the lower
portion 52 of the respective first 46 and second 48 keeper assemblies, which
in turn
moves the latches 42, 44 to the unlocked position. In the unlocked position,
the teeth 76
of each of the latches 42, 44 are out of engagement with the windows in the
fixed tracks
18. In this condition, the movable tracks 20 are free to slide with respect to
the fixed
tracks 18, thereby permitting fore and aft adjustment of the seat assembly.
[0019] When the towel bar 24 is exposed to downward abuse loading, the first
26
and second 28 legs pivot in a locking direction relative to the respective
track
mechanisms 12, 14, toward the floor 16. The downward loading of the towel bar
24
presses the first 26 and second 28 legs against the first 62 and second 64
arms of the
lower portion 52 of the respective first 46 and second 48 keeper assemblies.
The flexible
nature of the lower portion 52 allows the first 62 and second 64 arms to
deflect outward,
increasing the size of the opening 70, as shown in Figure 3. The towel bar 24
is now in a
partially released position. Continued downward loading of the towel bar 24
urges the
towel bar 24 to travel beyond a normal range of travel, resulting in the first
46 and second
48 keeper assemblies releasing the first 26 and second 28 legs before damage
results to
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the towel bar 24 or either of the latches 42, 44. The towel bar 24 is now in a
released
position, as shown in Figure 4.
[0020] To move the towel bar 24 from the released position back to the use
position, the towel bar 24 is lifted, such that the first 26 and second 28
legs pivot relative
to the respective track mechanisms 12, 14, toward the bottom of the seat
cushion. The
upward movement of the towel bar 24 causes the first 26 and second 28 legs to
contact
and press against the bottom edges 66, 68 of the first 62 and second 64 arms
of the
respective first 46 and second 48 keeper assemblies. The bottom edges 66, 68
are shaped
such that the upward contact of the towel bar 24 causes the first 62 and
second 64 arms to
deflect outward, increasing the size of the opening 70 to receive the first 26
and second
28 legs back into the axial bore 58 of the respective first 46 and second 48
keeper
assemblies.
100211 The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is
to be
understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the
nature of
words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and
variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is,
therefore, to be
understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be
practiced
other than as specifically described.
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