Track assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040638-B2
Application number	US-201916399116-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2019
Priority date	May 4, 2018
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A track assembly includes a track and a support member. The support member may include a slider and/or an electrical connector. The slider may be configured to move longitudinally to move the electrical connector between a first rotational position and/or a second rotational position. In the first position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector may be in electrical contact with the track. In the second position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector may not be in electrical contact with the track. The electrical connector may include a cam, and/or the cam may be configured to contact the slider. Longitudinal movement of the slider may rotate the cam to move the electrical connector between the first rotational position and/or the second rotational position. The slider may include a first ramped portion and/or a second ramped portion that may be configured to contact the slider.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track assembly, comprising:
a track; and
a support member, including:
a slider; and
an electrical connector;
wherein the slider is configured to move longitudinally to move the electrical connector between a first rotational position and a second rotational position;
in the first position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector is in electrical contact with the track; and
in the second position of the electrical connector the electrical connector is not in electrical contact with the track.

2. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector includes a cam, and the cam is configured to contact the slider.

3. The track assembly of claim 2 , wherein longitudinal movement of the slider rotates the cam to move the electrical connector between the first rotational position and the second rotational position.

4. The track assembly of claim 3 , wherein the slider includes a first ramped portion and a second ramped portion configured to contact the slider.

5. The track assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second ramped portion is configured to rotate the cam in a first rotational direction when the slider moves in a first direction; and the first ramped portion is configured to rotate the cam in a second rotational direction when the slider moves in a second direction.

6. The track assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first ramped portion is substantially curved and the first ramped portion is configured to rotate the cam at least 90 degrees in the second rotational direction.

7. The track assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second ramped portion is configured to rotate the cam at least 90 degrees in the first rotational direction.

8. The track assembly of claim 5 , wherein in the first position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector restricts, at least to some degree, vertical movement of the support member relative to the track; and in the second position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector does not substantially restrict vertical movement of the support member relative to the track.

9. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the track includes a track conductor extending substantially longitudinally along the track.

10. The track assembly of claim 9 , wherein in the first position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector is configured to electrically connect the support member to the track conductor.

11. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector includes a body and a flange; the body is substantially hollow; and the flange includes an aperture.

12. The track assembly of claim 11 , wherein the electrical connector includes a contact disposed at least partially in the aperture.

13. The track assembly of claim 12 , wherein the electrical connector includes a biasing member; and the biasing member is configured to bias the contact away from the electrical connector.

14. The track assembly of claim 13 , wherein the support member is configured to move in a longitudinal direction along the track; and the contact is configured to selectively electrically connect to a track conductor of the track.

15. A track assembly, comprising:
a track; and
a support member configured for selective connection with the track, the support member including:
a slider; and
an electrical connector;
wherein displacement of the slider in a longitudinal direction of the track moves the electrical connector between a first position and a second position;
in the first position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector is in electrical contact with the track; and
in the second position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector is not in electrical contact with the track.

16. A track assembly, comprising:
a track; and
a support member configured for selective connection with the track, the support member including:
a slider; and
an electrical connector;
wherein displacement of the slider moves the electrical connector between a first position and a second position;
in the first position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector is in electrical contact with the track; and
in the second position of the electrical connector, the electrical connector is not in electrical contact with the track;
the electrical connector includes a flange;
the flange is substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the track when the electrical connector is in the second position; and
the flange is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the track when the electrical connector is in the first position.

17. The track assembly of claim 16 , wherein in the first position of the electrical connector, (i) the support member is configured to move in the longitudinal direction along the track, and (ii) vertical movement of the support member is restricted.

18. The track assembly of claim 17 , wherein in the second position of the electrical connector, the support member is configured to move in the longitudinal direction along the track and the electrical connector does not substantially restrict vertical movement of the support member.

19. The track assembly of claim 15 , wherein the support member includes a first lever and a second lever; displacement of the slider moves the first lever between a first lever first position and a first lever second position; and displacement of the slider moves the second lever between a second lever first position and a second lever second position.

20. The track assembly of claim 19 , wherein the first lever is configured to limit longitudinal movement of the support member along the track; and the second lever is configured to limit longitudinal movement and vertical movement of the support member along the track.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Condamin Thibaud
• Hamtache Nordine
• Moulin Antoine

Classifications

• B60N2/0818

  inside the rail · CPC title

• B60N2/01541 Primary

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

• B60R22/22

  secured to the vehicle floor · CPC title

• B60N2/0843

  about a longitudinal axis · CPC title

• B60N2/0722 Primary

  Constructive details · CPC title