IP Library Granted Patent US 7,097,253
Granted Patent B2
US 7,097,253 · App. 10/910,794 · Granted Aug 29, 2006

Round recliner assembly with rear folding latch

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,097,253
App. No.
10/910,794
Granted
Aug 29, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle seat recliner and folding latch assembly is provided. The assembly generally includes a lower quadrant disk, a slide pin sub-assembly and a recliner disk. The slide pin sub-assembly is supported on the lower quadrant disk for pivotal displacement between a first position and a second position. The recliner disk is supported for pivotal displacement on the slide-pin sub-assembly. The recliner disk includes an engagement edge engaging the slide pin sub-assembly. The engagement edge is adapted to lock the slide pin sub-assembly in the first and second positions.

Claims (42)

1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a seat back;

a lower quadrant disk adapted to be fixedly supported by a vehicle;

a recliner mechanism pivotally supported on said lower quadrant disk for pivoting said seat back between a first position and a second position relative to said lower quadrant disk; and

a slide-pin subassembly pivotally supporting said recliner mechanism on said lower quadrant disk and pivotally supported for rotation between a third position and a fourth position relative to said lower quadrant disk, said slide-pin subassembly including a lock pin that selectively engages said lower quadrant disk to lock said slide-pin subassembly relative to said lower quadrant disk.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said seat back is in an upright position when said slide-pin subassembly is in said third position and said recliner mechanism is in said first position.

3. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said seat back is in a fold down position when said slide-pin subassembly is in said third position and said recliner mechanism is in said second position.

4. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said seat back is in a load floor position when said slide-pin subassembly is in said fourth position and said recliner mechanism is in said second position.

5. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said slide-pin subassembly includes:

a housing; and

a cam plate rotatably supported by said housing for positioning said lock pin relative to said lower quadrant disk.

6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein movement of said slide-pin subassembly causes concurrent movement of said recliner mechanism relative to said lower quadrant disk.

7. A vehicle seat recliner assembly, comprising:

a lower quadrant disk;

a slide-pin subassembly supported on said lower quadrant disk for pivotal displacement between a first position and a rearward position, said slide-pin subassembly including:

a housing;

a lock pin slidably supported by said housing and engaging said lower quadrant disk, whereby said housing is selectively locked in one of said first and said rearward positions; and

a cam plate supported for rotational displacement relative to said housing for positioning said lock pin relative to said lower quadrant disk; and

a recliner mechanism supported by said slide-pin subassembly for pivotal displacement between a second position and a forward position.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said slide-pin subassembly includes a housing supporting said lock pin in an elongated slot, said lock pin displaceable within said slot between a locked position and an unlocked position.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said lower quadrant disk includes a first thrust surface adapted to unlock said slide-pin subassembly from said first position and a second thrust surface adapted to unlock said slide-pin subassembly from said rearward position.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said lower quadrant disk includes a cammed surface disposed between said first and second thrust surfaces for engaging said lock pin when said lock pin is pivoting between said first position and said rearward position.

11. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said cam plate includes a cross member for engaging said lower quadrant disk to prevent said slide-pin subassembly from pivoting forward of said first position.

12. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said lower quadrant disk includes a toothed portion for being selectively engaged by said lock pin when said slide-pin subassembly is in said rearward position.

13. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said slide-pin subassembly further includes a biasing member for biasing said lock pin into engagement with said lower quadrant disk.

14. A vehicle seat assembly, comprising;

a seat bottom;

a seat back;

a lower quadrant disk;

a slide-pin subassembly including:

a housing supported on said lower quadrant disk for pivotal displacement between a first position and a rearward position;

a lock pin slidably supported by said housing and engaging said lower quadrant disk, whereby said housing is selectively locked in one of said first position and said rearward position; and

a cam plate supported for rotational displacement relative to said housing for positioning said lock pin relative to said lower quadrant disk; and

a recliner mechanism supported by said slide-pin subassembly and attached to said seat back for pivotal displacement of said seat back relative to said seat bottom.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said slide-pin subassembly includes a housing supporting said lock pin in an elongated slot, said lock pin displaceable within said slot between a locked position and an unlocked position.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said lower quadrant disk includes a first thrust surface adapted to unlock said slide-pin subassembly from said first position and a second thrust surface adapted to unlock said slide-pin subassembly from said rearward position.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein said lower quadrant disk includes a cammed surface disposed between said first and second thrust surfaces for engaging said lock pin when said lock pin is pivoting between said first position and said rearward position.

18. The assembly of claim 16 further comprising a seat pivot supporting a front side of said seat bottom for approximately 180° pivotal displacement.

19. The assembly of claim 16 wherein said seat bottom includes a bottom surface and a top surface, said top surface adapted to be exposed in a seating position and said bottom surface adapted to be exposed in a load floor position.

20. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said cam plate includes a cross member for engaging said lower quadrant disk to prevent said slide-pin subassembly from pivoting forward of said first position.

21. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said lower quadrant disk includes a toothed portion for being selectively engaged by said lock pin when said slide-pin subassembly is in said rearward position.

22. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said slide-pin subassembly further includes a biasing member for biasing said lock pin into engagement with said lower quadrant disk.

Assignments (3)
REGISTERED ASSUMED NAME Recorded Jul 28, 2009
From: FISHER & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
To: FISHER DYNAMICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 023015/0032 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 18, 2009
From: FISHER & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 022703/0153 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 11, 2004
From: COUGHLIN, CRAIG J.; BONK, JEFFERY T.; FAST, SCOTT
To: FISHER DYNAMICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015983/0671 →