SEAT FOLD ACTUATOR

1 . A linear actuator comprising:

a rod;

a first release mechanism connected to the rod and configured to move with movement of the rod when locked and free to slide along the rod and independently of the rod when unlocked; and

a second release mechanism connected to the rod and first release mechanism, the second release mechanism configured to move with movement of the first release mechanism when locked and free to slide along the rod and independently of the first release mechanism when unlocked.

2 . The linear actuator of claim 1 further comprising a spring connected between the rod and first release mechanism to move the first release mechanism away from an end of the rod when fired.

3 . The linear actuator of claim 1 further comprising a push collar connecting the first release mechanism to the second release mechanism, the second release mechanism configured to move with movement of the push collar when locked and free to slide along the push collar and independently of the push collar when unlocked.

4 . The linear actuator of claim 1 wherein the first release mechanism includes an override collar configured to prevent unlocking of the first release mechanism when moved from a first position to a second position, the second release mechanism including a reference collar configured to move with the second release mechanism, the reference collar having a tab configured to move the override collar from the first position to the second position.

5 . The linear actuator of claim 1 wherein the rod includes a groove for receiving a ball bearing of the first release mechanism, the ball bearing sliding out of the groove when the first release mechanism is unlocked and the ball bearing locking in the groove when the first release mechanism is locked, the actuator forming a hard-bar linkage when the ball bearing is locked within the groove.

6 . A seat back actuator for use in actuating a seat from an upright position to a fold-flat position and finally to a tumble position, the seat having a seat back and seat bottom and a spring-biased pivot for pivotally connecting the seat bottom to seat back support and folding the seat forwardly from the upright position to the fold flat position depending on a positioning of a handle having a first position, a second position, and a third position, the first position locking the seat in the upright position, the second position allowing the pivot to fold the seat to the fold-flat position, and the third position disengaging a rear seat floor latch to allow a front support spring to rotate the seat to the tumble position, the seat back actuator comprising:

a rod connected at a first end to the seat back;

a first release mechanism connected to the rod and biased away from the first end of the rod with a first power spring, the first release mechanism configured to move with movement of the rod when locked and to slide along the rod with the first power spring and independently of the rod when unlocked;

a second release mechanism connected to the handle and the first release mechanism, the second release mechanism configured to move with movement of the first release mechanism when locked and free to slide along the rod and independently of the first release mechanism when unlocked; and

wherein folding the seat from the upright position to the fold-flat position and onto the tumble position sequentially includes:

(i) unlocking the first release mechanism to allow the first power spring to move the second release mechanism a sufficient distance to cause the second release mechanism to move the handle from the first position to the second position, thereby folding the seat from the upright position to the fold-flat position; and

(ii) relocking the first release mechanism with rotation of the seat back causing the rod to slide within the first release mechanism until a hard-bar linkage is formed and momentum generated by the rotate seat back provides sufficient force to move the second release mechanism a sufficient distance to cause the second release mechanism to move the handle from the second position to the third position, thereby folding the seat from the fold-flat position to the tumble position.

7 . The seat back actuator of claim 6 wherein returning the seat from the tumble position to the fold-flat position includes:

after step (ii) in claim 6 , unlocking the second release mechanism to free the second release mechanism to slide along the rod and independently of the first release mechanism in order to allow a handle spring connected between the handle and the seat back to move the second release mechanism a sufficient distance to return the handle from the third position to the second position, thereby allowing re-engagement of the floor latch and returning of the seat from the tumble position to the fold-flat position.

8 . The seat back actuator of claim 7 wherein returning the seat from the fold-flat position to the tumble position includes:

after returning the seat to the fold-flat position in claim 7 , with rotation of the seat back and the hard-bar linkage from the fold-flat position towards the upright position, retracting the rod through the second release mechanism until the second release mechanism locks, the handle spring restraining movement of the second release mechanism to facilitate locking the second release mechanism.

9 . The seat back actuator of claim 7 wherein the first release mechanism includes an override collar configured to prevent unlocking of the first release mechanism when moved from a first position to a second position, the second release mechanism including a reference collar configured to move with the second release mechanism, the reference collar having a tab configured to move the override collar from the first position to the second position when the handle spring causes the second release mechanism to move a sufficient distance towards the first release mechanism.

10 . A seat comprising:

a back;

a bottom;

a spring biased pivot connecting the back to the bottom and configured to rotate the back from an upright position to a fold-flat position;

a latch system having a latch and a handle, the latch configured to prevent rotation of the back relative to the bottom when engaged and to free rotation of the back relative to the bottom when disengage, the handle connect to the latch to facilitate engaging and disengaging the latch, the handle having a first position to engage the latch and a second position to disengage the latch;

a front and rear support configured to support the bottom, the rear support having a floor latch configured to secure a rear portion of the bottom to the floor support when engaged and to free the rear portion from the floor support when disengaged, the handle having a third position associated with disengaging the floor latch, the front support including a spring biased pivot configured to rotate the bottom from the fold-flat position to an upright position when the floor latch is disengaged; and

a linear actuator configured to move the handle between the first, second, and third positions so as to facilitate folding the seat from the upright position to the fold-flat position and onto the tumble position.

11 . The seat of claim 10 wherein the linear actuator further includes:

a rod connected at a first end to the seat back;

a first release mechanism connected to the rod and biased away from the first end of the rod with a first power spring,;

a second release mechanism connected to the handle and the first release mechanism; and

wherein folding the seat from the upright position to the fold-flat position and onto the tumble position sequentially includes:

(i) unlocking the first release mechanism to allow the first power spring to move the second release mechanism a sufficient distance to cause the second release mechanism to move the handle from the first position to the second position, thereby folding the seat from the upright position to the fold-flat position; and

(ii) relocking the first release mechanism with rotation of the seat back causing the rod to slide within the first release mechanism until a hard-bar linkage is formed and momentum generated by the rotate seat back provides sufficient force to move the second release mechanism a sufficient distance to cause the second release mechanism to move the handle from the second position to the third position, thereby folding the seat from the fold-flat position to the tumble position.

12 . The seat of claim 11 wherein returning the seat from the tumble position to the fold-flat position includes:

unlocking the second release mechanism to free the second release mechanism to allow a handle spring connected between the handle and the seat back to move the second release mechanism a sufficient distance to return the handle from the third position to the second position, thereby allowing re-engagement of the floor latch and returning of the seat from the tumble position to the fold-flat position.

13 . The seat of claim 12 wherein returning the seat from the old-flat position to the tumble position includes:

with rotation of the seat back and the hard-bar linkage from the old-flat position towards the upright position, retracting the rod through the second release mechanism until the second release mechanism locks, the handle spring restraining movement of the second release mechanism to facilitate locking the second release mechanism.