Track system with a support member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12055205-B2
Application number	US-202117179176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2021
Priority date	Feb 21, 2020
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A track system may include a track assembly and a support assembly. A track assembly may include a wheel receptacle. The support assembly may include a support member removable from and adjustably connected to the track assembly. The support member may include a wheel. The wheel may be adjustable to an engaged position in which the wheel engages the wheel receptacle. The wheel may be adjustable to a disengaged position in which the wheel is not engaged with the wheel receptacle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track system, comprising:
a track assembly including a wheel receptacle; and
a support assembly including a support member removable from and adjustably connected to the track assembly;
wherein the support member includes a wheel;
the wheel is adjustable to an engaged position in which the wheel engages the wheel receptacle; and
the wheel is adjustable to a disengaged position in which the wheel is not engaged with the wheel receptacle.

2. The track system of claim 1 , wherein the track assembly includes track teeth;
the support member includes an anchor configured to selectively engage the track teeth;
the wheel is connected with the support member via an adjuster member; and
in the engaged position, at least a portion of one or more of the track teeth is disposed in a transverse direction between the wheel and the adjuster member.

3. The track system of claim 1 , wherein:
the track assembly includes an inner track and an outer track; and
the inner track includes a hook portion and the wheel receptacle is defined at least in part by the hook portion.

4. The track system of claim 3 , wherein:
the wheel receptacle opens substantially downward; and
the wheel is configured to move substantially upward to engage the wheel receptacle.

5. The track system of claim 1 , wherein:
the wheel is configured to roll along the track assembly such that, when the wheel is in the engaged position, the wheel does not substantially restrict movement of the support member along the track assembly in a longitudinal direction; and
when the wheel is in the engaged position, the wheel restricts movement of the support member in a transverse direction and a vertical direction.

6. The track system of claim 1 , wherein:
the disengaged position includes an aligned position and an unaligned position;
when the wheel is in the aligned position, the wheel and the wheel receptacle are at least partially aligned relative to a vertical direction; and
when the wheel is in the unaligned position, the wheel and the wheel receptacle are not substantially aligned in the vertical direction.

7. The track system of claim 6 , wherein:
the wheel is adjustable in the vertical direction to engage with and disengage from the wheel receptacle;
when the wheel is in the aligned position, the wheel is adjustable in a substantially transverse direction to move out of vertical alignment with the wheel receptacle and toward the unaligned position; and
when the wheel is in the unaligned position, the wheel does not substantially restrict removal of the support member from the track assembly in the vertical direction.

8. The track system of claim 1 , wherein:
the support member includes a roller configured to roll along the track assembly; and
when in the engaged position, the wheel is configured to bias the roller against the track assembly.

9. The track system of claim 1 , wherein:
the support member includes a slider movable substantially in a longitudinal direction;
the wheel includes a tab engageable with the slider; and
when the wheel is in the engaged position, the wheel is adjustable substantially in a vertical direction to disengage the wheel receptacle and move the wheel to the disengaged position via moving the slider to cause the tab to engage a ramped portion of the slider.

10. The track system of claim 9 , wherein, the disengaged position includes an unaligned position and an aligned position; and
when the wheel is in the aligned position, the wheel is adjustable, via longitudinal movement of the slider, substantially in a transverse direction to the unaligned position.

11. The track system of claim 1 , wherein:
the disengaged position includes an unaligned position and an aligned position;
the support member includes an actuation shaft and an actuation body;
the actuation shaft is operatively connected to the actuation body such that the actuation body is rotatable via rotation of the actuation shaft; and
the actuation body is configured to adjust the wheel in a substantially vertical direction between the engaged position and the aligned position.

12. The track system of claim 11 , wherein:
the support member includes a slider movable in a longitudinal direction;
the slider and the actuation body are configured to move independently of each other;
the wheel is engageable with the slider; and
when the wheel is in the aligned position, the wheel is adjustable in a substantially transverse direction to move the wheel toward the unaligned position via moving the slider.

13. A method of operating the track system of claim 1 , the method comprising:
connecting the support member and the track assembly in a vertical direction;
adjusting the wheel from the disengaged position to the engaged position;
adjusting the support member in a longitudinal direction relative to the track assembly to adjust a longitudinal position of the support member on the track assembly; and
restricting movement of the support member in a transverse direction and the vertical direction relative to the track assembly via the wheel.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the disengaged position includes an aligned position and an unaligned position; and
adjusting the wheel from the disengaged position to the engaged position includes inserting at least a portion of the wheel into the wheel receptacle via adjusting the wheel substantially upward from the aligned position, in which the wheel and the wheel receptacle are aligned with one another relative to the vertical direction, to the engaged position.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the support member includes an adjuster assembly, the adjuster assembly including the wheel; and
adjusting the wheel substantially upward from the aligned position to the engaged position includes rotating an actuation body of the support member such that a first actuation portion of the actuation body engages and moves the adjuster assembly substantially upward.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the support member includes an engagement cam having an engagement cam hub and an engagement cam protrusion extending from the engagement cam hub; and
rotating the actuation body includes disengaging a second actuation portion of the actuation body from the engagement cam protrusion via rotating the engagement cam.

17. The method of claim 14 , including disengaging an anchor of the support member from a toothed portion of the track assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein disengaging the anchor from the toothed portion of the track assembly includes:
causing an engagement member of the support member to translate via rotating an engagement body of the support member; and
rotating an anchor cam of the support member in a first anchor cam direction via the translation of the engagement member such that the anchor cam engages an anchor ramp portion of the anchor and moves the anchor away from the toothed portion.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein rotating the anchor cam in the first anchor cam direction includes an anchor cam projection of the anchor cam engaging an anchor adjustment portion of the anchor to cause the anchor to translate downward.

20. The method of claim 13 , including biasing, via the wheel, a roller of the support member against the track assembly; and
wherein adjusting the support member in the longitudinal direction includes rolling the roller along an upper surface of the track assembly and rolling the wheel along an underside

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Moulin Antoine

Classifications

• E01B25/04

  Rack rails; Supports or connections for rack rails · CPC title

• B61C11/04

  tractive effort applied to racks · CPC title

• B60N2/07 Primary

  Slide construction · CPC title

• B60N2/015

  Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis · CPC title

• F16H1/04

  involving only two intermeshing members · CPC title