Track assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850645-B2
Application number	US-201816131614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2018
Priority date	May 4, 2018
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A track assembly includes a track, a support member, a lever, and a slider. The support member may be configured for selective connection with the track. The lever may be connected to the support member, and the slider may be connected to the support member. The lever may be configured to limit movement of the slider and to limit movement of the support member. The slider may be configured to move longitudinally along the support member. The slider may be connected at a top of the support member. The lever may be configured to rotate about an axis that may be parallel to the track. The lever may include a top portion. The lever may include a first position and/or a second position. The slider may be configured to selectively contact the top portion of the lever when in a first position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track assembly, comprising;
a track;
a support member configured for selective connection with the track;
a lever connected to the support member;
a slider connected to the support member;
an anchor; and
a track locking component;
wherein the lever is configured to limit movement of the slider and to limit movement of the support member; and
the slider is configured to actuate the anchor and the track locking component.

2. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the slider is configured to move longitudinally along the support member.

3. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lever includes a top portion;
the lever includes a first position and a second position; and
the slider is configured to selectively contact the top portion of the lever when the lever is in the first position.

4. The track assembly of claim 3 , wherein the lever is connected to a biasing member and the biasing member biases the lever toward the first position.

5. The track assembly of claim 3 , wherein the slider includes a protrusion configured to contact the top portion of the lever.

6. The track assembly of claim 5 , including a second lever connected to the support member;
wherein the protrusion includes a first surface, a second surface, and a second lever engagement portion;
the first surface of the protrusion is disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal direction;
the second surface of the protrusion is disposed parallel to the longitudinal direction;
the top portion of the lever includes a first surface and a second surface;
the first surface of the lever is disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; the second surface of the lever is disposed parallel to the longitudinal direction;
the first surface of the lever is configured to engage the first surface of the slider to restrict movement of the slider; and
the second lever engagement portion is configured to engage the second lever without engaging the lever.

7. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support member is configured to support a seat; and the lever is configured to (i) limit movement of the support member to within a first portion of the track while said seat is in a seating configuration, (ii) prevent removal of the support member from the track while said seat is in the seating configuration, and (iii) prevent movement of said seat from a non-seating configuration to the seating configuration while the support member is outside of the first portion of the track.

8. The track assembly of claim 1 , including a second lever and a rod supporting the second lever, the anchor, and the track locking component;
wherein the slider is configured to actuate the second lever.

9. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lever includes a top portion and a bottom portion; the top portion is configured to contact the slider; and
the bottom portion is configured to contact the track.

10. A track assembly, comprising;
a track;
a support member configured for selective connection with the track;
a lever connected to the support member; and
a slider connected to the support member;
wherein the lever is configured to limit movement of the slider and to limit movement of the support member; and
the slider includes a first position, a second position, and a third position, and the slider is in contact with the lever in the second position and the third position.

11. The track assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lever is configured to prevent the slider from moving from the second position to the third position when the lever is in a first lever position.

12. The track assembly of claim 10 , wherein the slider is configured to prevent rotation of the lever when the slider is in the third position.

13. The track assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lever is configured to move from a second lever position to a first lever position when the slider moves from the third position to the second position.

14. A seat assembly, comprising:
a seat; and
a track assembly connected to the seat, the track assembly including:
a track;
a support member configured for selective connection with the track; and
a lever connected to the support member;

wherein the lever is configured to (i) limit movement of the support member to within a first portion of the track while the seat is in a seating configuration, (ii) prevent removal of the support member from the track while the seat is in the seating configuration, and (iii) prevent movement of the seat from a non-seating configuration to the seating configuration while the support member is outside of the first portion of the track.

15. The seat assembly of claim 14 , wherein the track assembly includes a slider connected to a top of the support member.

16. The seat assembly of claim 14 , wherein the lever is configured to rotate about an axis parallel to the track.

17. The track seat assembly of claim 14 , wherein the lever has a first position and a second position; the lever restricts movement of a slider relative to the support member when the lever is in the first position; and
the lever does not substantially restrict movement of the slider when the lever is in the second position.

18. The seat assembly of claim 14 , wherein the lever includes a first position and a second position; and
removal of the support member from the track is restricted prevented when the lever is in the first position.

19. The seat assembly of claim 14 , wherein the track assembly includes an anchor and a slider; and
wherein the slider is configured to actuate the anchor and contact the lever.

20. The seat assembly of claim 14 ,
wherein the track assembly includes a slider;
the lever includes a recess configured to receive an engagement portion of the slider;
the engagement portion of the slider is configured to cause rotation of a second lever; and
the engagement portion is not configured to move the lever.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Condamin Thibaud
• Hamtache Nordine
• Moulin Antoine

Classifications

• B60N2/0843

  about a longitudinal axis · CPC title

• B60N2/01591

  with wheels coupled to the seat · CPC title

• B60N2205/20

  Measures for elimination or compensation of play or backlash · CPC title

• B60N2/0818 Primary

  inside the rail · CPC title

• B60N2/01541

  using moving hooks (B60N2/01583 takes precedence) · CPC title