Track assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040639-B2
Application number	US-201916399164-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/or a support member. The track may include a first ramped portion and/or a second ramped portion. The support member may include a rolling member. A first side of the rolling member may include a first contact portion, and/or a second side of the rolling member may include a second contact portion. The support member may be configured to move along the track via rotation of the rolling member. The first contact portion and/or the second contact portion may be configured to contact the first ramped portion and/or the second ramped portion. The rolling member may include a flange that may be configured to engage an inner portion of the track. The inner portion may be substantially vertical. The track may include an opening that may be disposed between the inner portion and/or a second inner portion of the track.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track assembly, comprising:
a track, including:
a bottom wall;
a first side wall;
a second side wall;
a first upper wing extending from the first side wall and having a first ramped portion; and
a second upper wing extending from the second side wall and having a second ramped portion; and

a support member including a rolling member;
wherein a first side of the rolling member includes a first contact portion;
a second side of the rolling member includes a second contact portion;
the support member is configured to move along and relative to the track in a longitudinal direction via rotation of the rolling member;
the first contact portion is configured to contact the first ramped portion;
the second contact portion is configured to contact the second ramped portion; and
the first ramped portion and the second ramped portion are ramped relative to a transverse direction of the track.

2. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rolling member includes a flange configured to engage an inner portion of the track.

3. The track assembly of claim 2 , wherein the inner portion is substantially vertical relative to the longitudinal direction of the track;
the flange is disposed axially inward of the first contact portion and the second contact portion; and
the flange extends radially outward beyond the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

4. The track assembly of claim 2 , wherein the track includes an opening disposed between the inner portion and a second inner portion of the track, and the flange is disposed partially in the opening.

5. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion are disposed at substantially a same angle as the first ramped portion and the second ramped portion.

6. The track assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first contact portion extends radially from a middle portion of a first wheel portion of the rolling member, and the second contact portion extends radially from a middle portion of a second wheel portion of the rolling member.

7. The track assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first wheel portion and the second wheel portion have substantially U-shaped cross-sections.

8. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion are configured to contact the first ramped portion and the second ramped portion to center the support member in the transverse direction between the first and second ramped portions; and
the support member is connected to and supports one or more vehicle components.

9. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first contact portion includes a convex configuration configured to contact the first ramped portion and maintain contact with the first ramped portion in a plurality of angular positions of the support member.

10. The track assembly, of claim 1 , including a second rolling member; the rolling member is disposed at or about a first end of the support member; the second rolling member is disposed at or proximate a second end of the support member; and the first end is opposite the second end.

11. The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a lever; the lever is configured to move between a first position and a second position; in the first position of the lever, the lever limits movement of the support member relative to the track; and in the second position, the lever does not substantially limit movement of the support member relative to the track.

12. A track assembly, comprising:
a track, including:
a first ramped portion; and
a second ramped portion; and
a support member including a rolling member;
wherein a first side of the rolling member includes a first contact portion; a second side of the rolling member includes a second contact portion; the support member is configured to move along the track via rotation of the rolling member; the first contact portion is configured to contact the first ramped portion; and the second contact portion is configured to contact the second ramped portion; and
wherein the support member includes a motor and a gear; the motor is configured to drive the gear in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction; and the gear is engaged with the rolling member to rotate the rolling member and move the support member along the track.

13. A track assembly, comprising:
a track including a first upper wing having a first ramped portion and a second upper wing having a second ramped portion; and
a support member configured to move along and relative to the track, the support member including:
a rolling member having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion; and
a rod rotatably connecting the rolling member to the support member;

wherein the first portion is configured to contact the rod, the second portion is configured to contact the first ramped portion or the second ramped portion; and the third portion is configured to contact an inner portion of the track.

14. The track assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first portion is at least partially aligned with a vertical level of a top portion of the track; and
the top portion of the track is substantially horizontal.

15. The track assembly of claim 13 , wherein the inner portion is substantially vertical relative to a longitudinal direction of the track.

16. The track assembly of claim 13 , wherein the rod is substantially V-shaped.

17. The track assembly of claim 13 , wherein the rod includes a first rod portion and a second rod portion; and the first rod portion and the second rod portion extend at an oblique angle with respect to a transverse direction.

18. The track assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first rod portion is connected to a first wheel portion of the rolling member; and
the second rod portion is connected to a second wheel portion of the rolling member.

19. The track assembly of claim 13 , wherein a rotational axis of a first wheel portion of the rolling member is substantially parallel to the first ramped portion;
a rotational axis of a second wheel portion of the rolling member is substantially parallel to the second ramped portion; and
the first ramped portion is ramped relative to a transverse direction of the track.

20. The track assembly of claim 13 , wherein the third portion is disposed at least partially between the inner portion and a second inner portion of the track and
the inner portion and the second inner portion are substantially perpendicular to a transverse direction of the track.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Condamin Thibaud
• Hamtache Nordine
• Moulin Antoine

Classifications

• B60N2/0843

  about a longitudinal axis · CPC title

• B60N2/20

  the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access (B60N2/04, B60N2/22 {, B60N2/3002} take precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/0818

  inside the rail · CPC title

• B60N2/0722 Primary

  Constructive details · CPC title

• B60N2/072

  Complex cross-section, e.g. obtained by extrusion · CPC title