Supports – Stand – Horizontally movable support surface
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-09
2001-09-18
King, Anita (Department: 3632)
Supports
Stand
Horizontally movable support surface
C074S089100, C248S429000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290199
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an adjustment mechanism with a unique drive assembly configuration for adjusting the position of a vehicle seat. Specifically, the drive assembly includes a drive nut that is rotated with respect to a bracket during assembly to form a positive structural engagement between the bracket and the drive nut.
Seat adjusters are often used in seat assemblies for selectively adjusting the position of a vehicle seat. Typically a first track member is fixed to a vehicle structure, such as a floor, and a second track member is supported with respect to the first track member for movement relative to the first track member such that the seat position can be adjusted horizontally in forward or rearward directions with respect to the vehicle. The adjustment of the seat assembly is performed by either a mechanical actuator, an electrical actuator, or an electromechanical actuator.
Typically, non-mechanical horizontal seat adjustment is accomplished by using an electric motor and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is usually either a gear assembly or a spindle and nut assembly. As the gear or spindle and nut assemblies are driven by the motor, the second track moves relative to the first track until the seat is in the desired position.
These known driving mechanisms are complex and have a significant number of components that require a great deal of packaging space. The significant number of components also makes assembly of the seat adjuster difficult and time consuming because each of the components has to be installed into the adjuster with fasteners and other mounting hardware. This also significantly increases the cost of the seat adjuster.
Thus, it is desirable to have a seat adjuster with a drive assembly that is easy to assemble and reduces the overall number of required components. It is also desirable to have a seat adjuster with a drive assembly that provides sufficient strength with fewer components, fasteners and mounting hardware so that assembly cost and overall assembly weight is reduced, and available packaging space for other vehicle components is increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a disclosed embodiment, a drive assembly for a seat adjuster includes a first track that is mounted to a vehicle structure to define a longitudinal axis, and a second track that is supported for movement relative to the first track along the longitudinal axis. A bracket is fixed relative to the first track and has at least one opening through which a drive nut is inserted. The drive nut is movable between a first position where the drive nut moves relative to the bracket through the opening and a second position where the drive nut remains fixed relative to the bracket. A shaft engages the drive nut to move the second track relative to the first member. A drive motor is used to drive the shaft relative to the drive nut only when the engagement member is moved from the first position to the second position.
In one embodiment, an external face of the drive nut comes into contact with a portion of the bracket adjacent to the opening to form a positive structural engagement between the drive nut and the bracket. In order to accomplish this, the opening is defined by a first vertical height and a first horizontal width and the drive nut is defined by a second vertical height and a second horizontal width. The first and second vertical heights are aligned and parallel with each other when the drive nut is in the first position and are in a non-parallel relationship to each other when the drive nut is in the second position.
A method for assembling the drive apparatus for a seat adjuster includes the steps of providing a first track mounted to a vehicle structure to define a longitudinal axis and a second track supported for movement relative to the first track along the longitudinal axis. Further steps include fixing a bracket having at least one opening relative to the first track, inserting a drive nut through the opening in the bracket, rotating the drive nut with respect to the bracket so that the drive nut cannot be removed through the opening, and connecting the drive nut to a driving mechanism.
The subject invention provides a simplified drive assembly configuration for a seat adjuster that is durable, easily assembled, easily maintained, and is inexpensive. These and other features can be understood from the following specification and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4802374 (1989-02-01), Hamelin et al.
patent: 5172601 (1992-12-01), Siegrist et al.
patent: 5292164 (1994-03-01), Rees
patent: 5456439 (1995-10-01), Gauger
patent: 5762309 (1998-06-01), Zhou et al.
patent: 5769377 (1998-06-01), Gauger
patent: 5797293 (1998-08-01), Chaban
patent: 5873558 (1999-02-01), Sakamoto
patent: 5941494 (1999-08-01), Garrido
Downey Hugh D.
Garrido Pascal
Banner & Witcoff
Dura Global Technologies
King Anita
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