Supports – Stand – Horizontally movable support surface
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-08
2001-01-30
King, Anita M. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Stand
Horizontally movable support surface
C248S419000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179265
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application relates generally to a single horizontal drive assembly used in a power seat adjuster that provides a stable seat mount due to the use of a truss structure extending between seat track assemblies.
Seat track arrangements for mounting seats within vehicles are generally well known. Most arrangements provide for a seat to be moved or adjusted in forward and rearward directions within a vehicle along inboard and outboard track assemblies. The inboard track assembly is spaced apart from the outboard track assembly and both track assemblies include a first track member that is mounted to the vehicle and a second track member that is supported for movement relative to the first track member. The first and second track members are usually mounted in a horizontal configuration with bearing members located on the sides of the first and second tracks. The seat is adjusted in forward and rearward directions by sliding the second track members relative to the first track members along the bearing members.
Known power seat adjusters use a motor drive assembly including at least one bi-directional electric motor that rotates a pair of drive shafts extending outwardly from the motor to a gear assembly mounted on each of the second track members. In one known configuration, threaded shafts are mounted to the second track and extend longitudinally between the first and second tracks for both the inboard and outboard track assemblies. The motor drives the gear assembly and each gear assembly rotates its respective threaded shaft. A drive block or nut is mounted to each of the first tracks and threadingly receives the threaded shaft to cause reciprocal horizontal movement of the second track upon selective receipt of power from the motor and drive shafts.
One disadvantage of this known configuration is that two gear boxes are needed, two threaded shafts are needed, and two drive blocks are needed. The duplication of identical components increases the weight and the cost and requires a significant amount of packaging space.
Another disadvantage of having two threaded shafts, one mounted on the inboard track assembly and one mounted on the outboard track assembly, is that the shafts are difficult to synchronize, i.e., one threaded shaft is at one horizontal position while the other threaded shaft is at a different horizontal position. This can cause the seat to be misaligned within the vehicle, which is undesirable. Thus, assembly cost is high because it is difficult to assemble the seat adjuster such that the rotation of the inboard threaded shaft exactly corresponds to the outboard threaded shaft.
Another disadvantage with this known configuration is the difficulty of packaging the threaded shafts between the first and second track members in each of the inboard and outboard track assemblies. This configuration requires the track members to be large in order to accommodate the threaded shafts and the drive blocks between the two track members. This configuration takes up more packaging space underneath the seat.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a power seat adjuster that only has one horizontal drive mechanism mounted to one of the track assemblies to reduce the overall number of components and the overall weight of the seat adjuster, and which includes a drive member that is not centered between first and second track members. It is also desirable to provide a single horizontal drive mechanism with only one driving member for adjusting seat position, but which also provides a stable seat mount.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general terms, a vehicle seat includes a seat bottom supported on mounting assembly that has a power seat adjuster for selectively moving the seat in a horizontal direction with respect to the vehicle. The mounting assembly includes an inboard track assembly that is spaced apart from an outboard track assembly. A single drive mechanism is mounted to one of the track assemblies. A truss structure extends between the two track assemblies to provide a stable seat mount.
In one embodiment, an assembly for mounting a seat within a vehicle includes an inboard track assembly defining an inboard longitudinal axis and an outboard track assembly defining an outboard longitudinal axis that is spaced apart from and generally parallel to the inboard longitudinal axis. The inboard and outboard track assemblies each include a first track and a second track supported for movement relative to the first track in a longitudinal direction. The first and second tracks are preferably mounted in a vertical configuration. A single drive motor assembly is supported by one of the inboard or outboard track assemblies for selectively moving the second track members relative to the first track members along the longitudinal axes. The assembly further includes a truss structure extending between the inboard and outboard track assemblies having at least one cross piece member. In a preferred embodiment, the truss structure includes a first cross piece and a second cross piece that are mounted at angles with respect to the inboard and outboard longitudinal axes.
The subject invention offers several advantages over prior art systems because it provides power seat adjuster that only uses a single drive mechanism while still providing a rigid and stable seat assembly by utilizing a truss system extending between track assemblies. The subject invention also decreases the number of components and is lighter and less expensive than prior art assemblies.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
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patent: 5816555 (1998-10-01), Ito et al.
patent: 5871195 (1999-02-01), Gauger
patent: 5909866 (1999-06-01), Vaidyanathan et al.
patent: 5938164 (1999-08-01), Kargol et al.
patent: 5988581 (1999-11-01), Freund et al.
Collins Gregory David
Downey Hugh D.
Freund Roger
Garrido Pascal
Olsson Nills O.
Dura Global Technologies Inc.
King Anita M.
Roth Robert K.
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